Are We There Yet?

Note to My Big Kids Who are Not Here to Help Move

2012-01-27T11:31:00.000-08:00

We're moving out the contents of all the closets and dressers and the stores in the crawl space today, kids. But the big Moving Day is tomorrow. Aren't you boys glad you're missing out on this -- Paul, Jon, and Br. Pio? You, too, Michelley! (sneersnort)

But, Kevvy -- darlin' -- we're so glad you're coming! You are our favorite son, you know. (Just now, anyway...) You others can pray --especially you seminarians -- and that's big, but it don't get the fridge moved. Dangit all anyway. But if you guys will pray away hernias and snow, we guess we'll give you a break.

But, seriously, we're doing alright; you should see the little Amazon-woman girls lifting and carrying! They are amazing! And smile and give us little concerts while they pack and unpack. They've worked out a two-part rendition of Down in the Valley that is awesome. Nice to have the free entertainment while we work.

Still, Wish You Were All Here!

Sure you can't drive out real quick?

(Just kidding.)

(No, I'm not, really)

It's a Brown Box and Silver Tape Kinda Day

2012-01-26T12:24:00.000-08:00

But almost all the books are packed and moved over.
This is a big deal.

2012-01-25T06:21:00.000-08:00

Ordinary acts today: Moving the kitchen, laundry room and the rest of the barn over to the new place; figuring out how to make a walk-in closet out of the tiny room near the girls' room that has plaster walls that we can't nail into; remembering to eat and feed the children.

Well, maybe not so ordinary -- but all in a day, anyway.

Exactly a week before we have to be all moved over and have the old house cleaned up and ready to go for the new tenants. Kevvy comes Friday to help with the big stuff, but 'til then, it's me, Dan, and the girls -- with the little boys running around our feet... But, no worries!

(Sure, we can!)

Paul's on his way...

2012-01-24T20:42:00.000-08:00

....apparently by a rather circuituous route to Afghanistan via Canada. Nobody knows why -- but, unless he's going to defend Canada now, which would be alrighty by us, we expect he'll eventually get to the predetermined destination. All's good, though. He's in God's hands,

as always.

Still, everyone misses him.

This picture of his sweet little guy makes me tear up every time I look at it.

-sniff-

We want a "Daddy Doll" like Gavin's.

But we'd have to call it a "Paul Doll."

And I'm not sure he'd like that.

Our 1st Lieutenent Deploys Tomorrow

2012-01-22T20:31:00.000-08:00

You know I'll be heading out tomorrow, Gavin, buddy.

Some last minute instructions: The most important -- take good care of Mommy until I get home.

Don't worry, Daddy. I'll take care of everything. I love you.

God speed and God bless, Paul!

We love you!

All our prayers are with you.

Show those guys in Afghanistan how it really needs to be done.

(See you soon in e-mail!)

Car Guy Rube Goldberg Thingamajig

2012-01-21T06:30:00.000-08:00

Thanks to good friend, Brian, who fixed Kevvy's car so that it will now -- work.

Friday Update

2012-01-20T05:00:00.000-08:00

Old house. Not ours.

As I mentioned, we painted the girls' room Wednesday. It looks nice; they love it. And the little boys' room, we painted blue yesterday -- a shade darker blue than the girls'. In the southeast corner of the upper floor, the little guys' room has the most "challenged" walls of the old house we're moving into. (Did I mention it's 109 years old?) this little room tucked under the eves looks like it was painted in the thirties maybe, and is used to be that unidentifiable shade of beigy-peachy-grey you see sometimes in old houses. Bleh. (What were they thinking??) And this dull color coats particularly old, cracking, falling down plaster. Double bleh.

But now, all the cracks and blemishes in that room are masked by a lovely shade of sky blue. The trim will be a darker blue by tomorrow afternoon -- and one particularly bad wall will be completely covered in National Geographic maps of the world. I'm hunting around the internet now looking to add to a little globe collection to further the world travel theme. And my satisfaction will be complete if I can find some nice, lined, map-themed curtains for the big picture window.

Add a dark blue bunkbed, a half dozen or so small bins of toys in a bookcase, two toy pirate ships (complete with pirates and cannons) and one big Noah's ark set (complete with Noah and animals) -- and, of course, two little boys -- and voila! presto! Home.

Safe Haven, by Vladimir Kush
If super-artist, Jon, were home, I'd have him paint this on the ceiling....

* Pictures coming when we're all done.

I warned you there were more...

2012-01-19T19:48:00.001-08:00

Just One of a Thousand Decisions Today...

2012-01-19T07:44:00.000-08:00

Busy day ahead. Dressed in work clothes, but have to be decent enough to drop the little girls off at art class later and do some grocery shopping while I wait for class to be over. Blue jeans and clogs day, definitely. But, look; check it out:

I found this old shirt when I was going through bins the other day. I'd almost forgotten about it. But isn't it cute? Nice shades of brown, cute little Disney characters. There's a Mickey Mouse near the front hem and Pluto peeking out of the pocket.... Looking right. at. my Miraculous Medal.

Ha! How funny! But... Um, then again.... Hmmm. Sure makes me smile, the serendipity of it and all. But, gosh, is it disrespectful or not properly honoring the Mother of God? Does Pluto look happy to see the Blessed Mother? Or does he look manic? Or does he look more like he wants to jump out and bite off that button over there? Of all the silly things.... Should I wear my medal showing or tuck it in today?

What do you think?

More Love and Chocolate

2012-01-19T06:40:00.000-08:00

* One little girls' bedroom painted blue yesterday at the new house. Today I stay home and tackle laundry.

Love and Chocolate

2012-01-18T14:42:00.000-08:00

* Very, very distracted today... And likely will be for a bit. But thought these might be fun to post while we're busy packing and moving and painting the new rental house. When we get closer to St. Valentine's Day, we'd like to share a fun little gift to make that uses these Love and Chocolate images. Stay stuned!

Love and Chocolate

2012-01-17T19:46:00.000-08:00

The First in a Continuing Series...

2012-01-17T08:18:00.000-08:00

About Love

and Chocolate.

Monday Again Already?

2012-01-16T10:34:00.000-08:00

Outside my window: It's cloudy, chilly, and kinda bleh. There's just enough snow left on the ground to be messy looking, but that's ok, because my driveway is finally melted off and dry. Which is a fair trade-off.

What else is outside my window: Preparatory to our iminent move, Dan has been driving back-n-forth, back-n- forth past the front window with the big truck, pulling a little flatbed trailer, loaded with ever-changing crews of youngins and paraphernalia. Round and round the driveway he goes, unloading all the storage bins from the barn into the house -- about ten at a time, for me to go through. Then he loads the approved and labeled bins back onto the truck and trailer and they take it over to the new house to unload into organized paradise. (I hope.)

What I'm doing: I am the Queen Arbiter of Fate for all the old saved shoes, clothes, school books, notebooks, reading books, Catholic doctrine books, toy soldiers, saved baseballs with dates and deeds, holiday decorations, craft supplies, and lots of other miscellaneous flotsam and jetsam that defies categorizing...

What I'm thinking: As much as I'd like to say, "Man, do we have too much junk, or what?!" I can't help pouring over some of these bins. Like, I just came across one that's probably been hiding in the deeper caverns of the bin mountain for a while. In it was a slop- packed collection of the big boys' junk -- things that belonged to them when they were little boys: toy soldiers, special baseballs, about a million Lord of the Rings trading cards, a shirt that used to be Kevin's favorite, Paul's woodworking kit, a green tassel that the boys used to call "Crazy Woman.... Sigh.... I love my big boys, but I miss them as little boys, too.

What else I'm thinking: I can't bear to get rid of most of this junk. Too many memories come with most of it. I'm never going to get done with this.

A picture thought and a poem to go with it:

Inspiration

2012-01-14T13:40:00.000-08:00

For the girls' room at the new house.

We (the girls and I) love Cicely Mary Barker's Flower Fairies and were thrilled to find this fabric:

We'll use this for the valances for the two windows in the new room.

One of two panels that we'll back and sew and trim and loop and hang.
This one's "Spring" -- the other one's "Fall."

We're all set to paint the girls' walls with that middle blue there on the paint chip; the trim and ceiling will be crisp white. Their bunk beds match the berries (or are they rose hips?) and they already have either pink or green blankets
and pillowcases that will co-ordinate. And the bead trim (isn't it the best?) -- we'll use it on the valance and on the lamp shades we're going to customize.

We'll post pics when we're all done!

Family Harmony

2012-01-13T07:15:00.000-08:00

Over the five years I've been blogging, I've enjoyed posting pictures of family harmony at our house, but I'm afraid that in-so-doing I might have given the impression that it's all sweetness and light over here, that there's never any fighting. But, oh, my goodness sakes. Let me set the record straight: we get our good fair share of squabbling. I just don't generally have the camera in my hand when I'm the on-ice referee throwing players in the penalty box!

It's just this, and no gettin' around it: any group of two or more people confined to limited space and using the same bathroom is going to wind up disagreeing about things. Sometimes calmly and politely, sometimes not. It's a fact of life parents have to come to terms with. And, while the inevitability of it may make a Mom want to run for the hills (for a quiet little cabin, maybe, with a lock on the door), all the bickering and banging together of heads can also be looked at as a right of passage into adulthood and an opportunity to learn some really important things about human interaction. To wit:

1. There's a right and a wrong way to communicate displeasure.
     a) Hitting your brother with the butt of a Nerf rifle is the wrong way.
     b) Slamming a caprine syringe through your brother's hand is the wrong way.
     c) Cracking an egg on your sister's head is the wrong way.

2. No matter how much a person would like to be, no one of us is the center of the universe.
     a) Just because you got a chocolate orange in your stocking does not mean all chocolate oranges belong to you.
     b) The world is not going to stop because you're having a bad hair day. (Dangit)
     c)  You are not the only person who ever has a bad hair day.
     d) It's highly unlikely that anyone but you is going to notice you're having a bad hair day.

3. Kindness begets kindness; unkindness you get right back on the snoot.

a) If you had shared your chocolate orange with your sister, she would probably share hers with you now that yours is gone.
b) If you French braid your sister's hair for her, she'll tell you how beautiful your bouffant is, even if you don't think so.

      c) If you hit your brother with the butt of a Nerf rifle, don't be surprised if he throws a hard, plastic Noah's Ark elephant at your head.
     d) If you crack an egg on your sister, well, you better just watch your back from here on out.

These are all hard lessons to learn; it takes years for them to finally take hold in most children -- and as too many of us in the adult world know, some people never do learn them! Either they never got the memo, or they figured it wasn't for them. We might finally have true peace to earth -- or at least in our own living rooms -- if babies were born with the capacity for perfect self control, the maturity of tactful expression, and the angelic perfection of patience and charity. But, alas! The little buggers almost always come into the world with the wrong ideas about just about everything. After about six months of sweet goohs and gahs (if we're lucky enough not to have a colicky baby), the infant version of the will rears its head and the real work of a parent begins.

One-year-olds must be told they can't say "no" to Mommy and Daddy. Two-year-olds have to learn that they can't have everything they see. Four-year-olds need to know that the world doesn't revolve around them. Though you try to break it to them gently, six-year-olds usually find out the hard way about an eye-for-an-eye. And, then, when you think you've finally drummed it all into their sweet curly little heads, the little darlings turn twelve and forget everything you ever taught them.   -sigh- It's the life of a parent: our life's work. And it's exhausting, no kidding! But it's important.

Because, ya know, tiresome as they are, those daily little kafoffles -- the scuffles, arguments, grudges, miscommunication, and stupidity -- are the training ground where parents do some of our most vital work. It's our job to catch the flying fists and steer the kids out of the boxing ring, or at least referee them safely to a peaceful solution -- for however many times a day we need to do it, for however many years it takes. It's possible, I guess, for children to learn how to live in peace with their fellow human beings on their own or just by the school of hard knocks, but the lessons will be more surely honed if guided by the loving hands of parental referees. And, though, our main aim is always going to be to be peace in the home, it's also with a parent's loving care that a child should learn what really is worth fighting for.

It was one of my proudest moments as a mother when I heard how my oldest son had flattened a friend at a party when he was in college. It may have been in jest, or under the influence of a beer too many, but it seems a young man Paul knew made a scurrilous remark about the Catholic Church, and the next thing he knew -- without even thinking, he told us later -- Paul had socked the guy on the jaw so hard he knocked him on the floor.

That's my boy.

I love that it was totally instinctual for him to defend his Faith. There are few things really worth fighting for, but that one is at the top of the list. That, and defending his wife or sisters or other women -- and maybe if someone has the gall to insult Tim Tebow in their hearing.

Yes, admittedly, it's true that in most situations, a carefully worded and gentlemanly debate would be preferable, but every once in a while, a sock in the jaw is just the ticket.

Of course, don't tell my six and seven-year-olds I said that. We'll spring the notion on them later when they're past the throwing toy elephants stage. Uh. Maybe.

Family Week: Wednesday

2012-01-11T15:34:00.000-08:00

The Mother-child relationship is paradoxical and, in a sense, a tragic. It requires the most intense love on the mother's side, yet this very love must help the child to grow away from the mother, and to become fully independent.

~ Erich Fromm (1955)

On that Theme:

Congratulations to our son, Paul, on his recent promotion to the rank of 1st Lieutenant, United States Marine Corps!

1st Lieutenant Paul J. Davis, his beautiful wife, Nicole, and precious son, Gavin.
(Pardon me. Is my grandma bias showing a bit.? ;)

Our son who has exceeded our every prayer and desire for him in character and accomplishments! We love you so much, Paul, and are so proud of you!

Paul is preparing for deployment to Afghanistan at the end of this month. He will most likely be serving at a relatively safe base, but we beg your prayers for his safety and well-being, as well as that of the family who will be missing him at home!

Prayer for Those in Active Service

O God, we beseech Thee,

watch over those exposed to the horrors of war

and to the spiritual dangers of a soldier's, a sailor's, or an airman's life.

Give them such a strong faith

that no human respect

may ever lead them to deny it,

or fear to practice it.

Do Thou by Thy grace fortify them

against the contagion of bad example,

that, being preserved from vice,

and serving Thee faithfully,

they may be ready to meet death

wherever and whenever it may happen,

through Christ Our Lord.

Amen.

Sacred Heart,

inspire them with sorrow for sin,

and grant them pardon.

Mother of God,

be with them on the battlefield,

and, if they should be called to make the supreme sacrifice,

obraine for them

that they may die in tghe grace of Thy Divine Son.

St. Joseph, pray for them.

May their Guardian Angels protect them.

Family Week: Tuesday

2012-01-10T09:52:00.000-08:00

"I think the family is the place where the most ridiculous and least respectable things in the world go on."

~ Ugo Betti (1945)

"Especially if you're a kitty."

~ Gigi

Family Week: Monday

2012-01-08T19:27:00.000-08:00

There's no vocabulary

For love within a family, love that's lived in,

But not looked at, love within the light of which

All else is seen, the love within which

All other love finds speech.

This love is silent.

~ T.S. Eliot

Or maybe not so much.

The Feast of the Holy Family

2012-01-08T13:38:00.000-08:00

(Lk 2, 51) Jesus went down with them, and came to Nazareth and was subject to them.

The Holy Family, by Fancesco Zaganelli da Cotignola (1480 - 1532) (This masterpiece for sale at Christie's right now for only $1, 584,414)

O Lord Jesus Christ, Who by subjecting Thyself to Mary and Joseph didst consecrate family life with wonderful virtues; grant that, by their joint assistance, we may fashion our lives after the example of Thy Holy Family, and obtain everlasting fellowship with it. Who livest, etc.

~ Prayer from the feastday Mass of the Holy Family

A coloring page to click and print for today:

* This week: Amusements and Meditations on "Family"...

Let It Be Hereby Affirmed and Celebrated:

2012-01-07T17:42:00.001-08:00

William Thomas is a big boy now.

And not only will he eat split pea soup...

He actually likes it!

"It's not just peas," he says, "They're split."

Sepia Saturday: The January Edition

2012-01-06T21:20:00.000-08:00

This wintery shot of my Dad and my Uncle Wick was taken in Baltimore, MD in the late '30s. Don't you love the pose? Most of the photos in our albums from this era are carefully arranged portraits, either professionally taken for special events, or brownie camera shots taken at home with six or seven relatives shoulder to shoulder, smiling dutifully. But this one is fun and playful and there's a gleam in my Dad's eye that makes me wonder if the photographer didn't get creamed with that snowball.

I love the vintage quality of this photo, too, and how the snow has yellowed with age. My Dad's brown curls peeking out from under his hood remind me of a couple of my curly-headed sons, and I wonder if my Dad was much like them at this age. I'm guessing he was. In the fundamentals I expect boys are much the same now as they ever were -- but goodness how the trappings have changed!

Check out the 1930s snow day gear, for instance. Young boys still wore knickers -- which couldn't have been any too cozy -- but I'm guessing my Dad's stripey socks are wool: warm, but I bet they were itchy. The coat and little Uncle Wick's snow suit were probably made of wool, too, and though they were likely good and warm, I bet they were a bugger when they got wet. Heavy and smelly. Bet it took forever for them to dry, too! Do you suppose they had a place near a woodstove or furnace that they hung their wet woolen hats and mittens and coats to dry? I love the vintage "hominess" of that image. I can picture my Dad reading a book on the floor in front of the radio, listening to Jack Benny while his coat and scarf dry by the wood stove... Everything sepia-toned and smelling like apple pie...

=sigh= The past is so romantic when it's lived in a scrapbook...

But, in reality? Seriously -- I wouldn't want to go back in time, if for no other reason than I wouldn't want to wear all that wool. No way. I like our super light and waterproof synthetic coats, our nice warm microfiber scarves, and underarmor. If it gets dirty, throw it in the washer; if it gets wet, throw it in the dryer. Quick and easy. And you don't smell like a wet sheep when you come in after playing in the snow.

And this I say with the conviction of a mother whose little sons (7 y.o. Gabe and 6 y.o. William) went sledding down the muddy driveway into a big snowmelt puddle yesterday afternoon.

So, yes... I guess we're pretty spoiled, but I'm convinced it's a good kind of spoiling, these modern textiles. I like to be warm and dry on a cold day; I like my children to be warm and dry on a cold day. And I would not like to have to wash my uncle's little wool snowsuit. I love looking at the vintage photos, but wool coats really only work well if you're outside playing in sepia-toned snow.

(No, not that kind of sepia-toned snow!)

Lots of great Sepia Saturday posts here.

This Epiphany Morning

2012-01-06T15:11:00.000-08:00

Well. There they are. All the company finally got here.

Theophany:Three Kings' Day: Epiphany

2012-01-05T19:06:00.000-08:00

Kings?

Wise Men?

Magi?

Seekers.

Like us.

Many Happy Returns and Blessings of the Day to Everyone!

*Just an aside: I wanted very much to write out a listing of traditions and history of this day, but find myself handicapped on Blogger these days. I changed over to the new Blogger format the other day and wish I hadn't, because now I can't link anything, can't right click to copy/paste, can't save pictures on my images window, can't pretty much do diddly-squat -- and Blogger won't let me have the old format back. And, on top of all that, my photo shop program seems to have vanished off my computer and I'm going to have to buy a new one. Grrrr.... Anyway. I'm certainly not the only one lovin' up on this feast day. Zip around the Catholic blogger world for lots of good stuff! Or you can search "Epiphany" or "The Three Kings" on this blog search engine for my old posts, if you'd like. :0)

On the Road Again

2012-01-04T17:54:00.000-08:00

I was going to say something like: It seems we barely get settled these days before we move again... But, that's not exactly true. You know that insulation that you can spray into cracks -- and it puffs up, expanding into every possible nook and cranny of space? Well, that's us. We aren't into a house two weeks before all the pictures are hung; the humidifier's hidden away; the muffin papers have their own little cupboard corner, the construction paper and colored pencils are stationed; the lint bunnies are multiplying under the beds; and marbles are in the heating vents.

And I won't even go into how thoroughly we occupy the barn. Let's just say: don't go in there.

But, alas... (and here I really do insert a heavy sigh) We find that it's time to leave our cozy little log house. And, oh boy, am I gonna miss it. ( I am spoiled forever by this great room!) But just plain old prudence is twisting our arms and we have no choice but to find cheaper digs. We'd originally intended to buy this house, but, as is the story in so many places, our landlord is upside-down on his loan and requires an over-the-market sum -- both for the purchase and the rent of this house -- and he can't lower his price. And, same as most places these days, real estate prices in our valley are shrinking with the pinpricks of a bazillion foreclosures, and rentals are still quite low for the most part. So, in short -- though we love this house and love being a walk to church, we're not millionaires and can't just throw money away.

This is not the actual house...

Plus, after researching and watching and praying for a while, we found a house only ten minutes away, with five bedrooms, a bazillion outbuildings, on fifteen irrigated acres, with lots of big shade trees, next to an orchard and winery -- for literally half the rental price.

So, we're moving. How could we not?

We have a month to move less than ten minutes away, so it's going to be ~~death by a thousand cuts~~ a nice, slow, organized move.

Um. Yeah.

But, it's all good. The landlady has given us free reign to do whatever we like with the house, short of tearing down walls -- and I've already got a notebook full of ideas and paint chips. Call me a glutton for punishment, but I'm actually looking forward to rolling up my sleeves and getting to work. The old girl (the house, not the landlady!) is 109 years old and is less conventional and certainly less convenient than the house we're in now -- and it's old and drafty and somewhat awkward. But it has lots of character.

We should fit right in.

I hope you'll join in on the fun of the makeover and move in. I'll be needing a cheering section! And it should be interesting. The Christmas decorations get packed this weekend, and the "slow, organized move" begins right after that. I'll keep ya posted!

January

2012-01-02T15:22:00.000-08:00

T''was the month after Christmas,
and all through the house,
Nothing would fit me,
not even a blouse.

The cookies I'd nibbled,
the chocolate I'd taste
At the holiday parties
had gone to my waist.

When I got on the scales
there arose such a number!
When I walked to the store
(less a walk than a lumber),

I'd remember the marvellous meals I'd prepared;
The gravies and sauces and beef nicely rared,
The wine and the rum balls, the bread and the cheese
And the way I'd never said, "No thank you, please."

As I dressed myself in my husband's old shirt
And prepared once again to do battle with dirt...
I said to myself, as I only can,
"You can't spend the winter disguised as a man!"

So, away went the last of the sour cream dip.
Got rid of the fruit cake, every cracker and chip.
Every last bit of food that I like must be banished
Till all the additional ounces have vanished.

I won't have a cookie, not even a lick.
I'll want only to chew on a long celery stick.
I won't have hot biscuits, or corn bread, or pie.
I'll munch on a carrot and quietly cry.

I'm hungry, I'm lonesome, and life is a bore...
But isn't that what January is for?
Unable to giggle, no longer a riot.
Happy New Year to all, and to all a good diet.

The Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus

2012-01-02T08:49:00.000-08:00

(Luke 2, 21) At that time, when eight days were fulfilled for the circumcision of the Child, His Name was called Jesus, the Name given Him by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.

(Phil. 2, 10-11) At the Name of Jesus every knee should bend of those in heaven, on earth, and under the earth, and every tongue should cnfess that the Lord Jeuss Christ is in the glory of God the Father.

(Ps. 8, 2) O Lord, our Lord, how admirable is Thy name in the whole earth.

Seminarian Cinnamon Rolls

2012-01-02T07:18:00.000-08:00

Recipe compliments of Chef Jon, the Seminarian

For one pan (regular size cookie sheet) of app. 1 dozen rolls.

In mixer bowl, mix together:

2 cups warm water

1 Tbs dry yeast

1 Tbs sugar

1 Tsp salt

* Gradually add app 4 1/2 additional cups of flour

into mixer with dough hook attached.

* Mix until it starts to come together, then add about

1/4 cup oil (any oil not too heavy tasting).

* Roll dough flat, but not too thin. Should be about 12"x12" square.

* Soften (nice and soft, but not melted) a whole stick of butter and spread it evenly over the dough.
* Sprinkly generously with cinnamon/sugar (mixed 3:1)

* Roll up. Take a piece of ordinary string, loop it under the dough, about 1" from the end; twist over the top and pull, to cut the dough cleanly.

* Repeat until 12 rolls are cut. (Can be more, depending on size of rolls).

* Grease pan, and place rolls fairly close together. Cover and set on stove to rise while oven preheats to 325.

* Once risen, bake for approximately 20 minutes, until lightly browned.

* DO NOT overcook.

Frosting

1 stick butter -- room temperature (optional)

8 oz package cream cheese -- room temperature

2 - 3 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon of vanilla, almond, or orange extract

* Using mixer (or beating vigorously with fork), mix the butter and cream cheese together (or just the cream cheeese alone), about 3 minutes on medium speed until nice and smooth.

* Add the extract and mix. Slowly add the powdered sugar. Keep adding until you get to the sweetness and thickness you like.

* Spread on cinnamon rolls with a blunt knife or spatula.

Enjoy!

And, let me tell you, folks -- not because I'm his mom and I have a sweet tooth, though I certainly do -- but, seriously, these cinnamon rolls are ambrosia!

On the Feast of the Presentation

2012-01-01T16:20:00.000-08:00

From Abbot Gueranger, O.S.B.
in the Liturgical Year

Our new-born King and Saviour is eight days old today; the Star that guides the Magi is advancing towards Bethlehem, and five days hence will be standing over the Stable where our Jesus is being nursed by His Mother. Today the Son of Man is to be circumcised; this first sacrifice of His innocent Flesh must honour the eighth day of His mortal life. Today also a Name is to be given him; the Name will be Jesus, and it means Saviour. So that mysteries abound on this day; let us not pass one of them over, but honour them with all possible devotion and love.

But this day is not exclusively devoted to the Circumcision of Jesus. The mystery of this Circumcision forms party of that other great mystery, the Incarnation and Infancy of our Saviour -- a mystery on which the Church fixes her heart not only during this Octave, but during the whole forty days of Christmastide. Then, as regards our Lord's receiving the Name of Jesus, a special Feast, which we shall soon be keeping (* The Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus is celebrated tomorrow, January 2nd!), is set apart in honour of it. There is another object that shares the love and devotion of the Faithful on this great Solemnity. This object is Mary, the Mother of God. The Church celebrates today the august prerogative of this divine Maternity which was conferred on a mere creature, and made her the co-operatrix with Jesus in the great work of man's salvation;.

The holy Church of Rome used formerly to say two Masses on the first of January; one was for the Octave of Christmas Day, the other was in honour of Mary. She now unites the two intentions in one Sacrifice, in the same manner as, in the rest of this Day's Office, she unites together the acts of her adoration of the Son, and the expressions of her admiration for and confidence in the Mother.

The Greek Church does not wait for this eighth day, in order order to pays her tribute of homage to her who has given us our Emmanuel. She consecrates to Mary, the first day after Christmas, that is December 26th, and calls it the Synaxis of the Mother of God, making the two days one continued Feast. She is thus obliged to defer the Feast of St. Stephen to December 27th.

But it is today that we, the children of the Roman Church, must pour forth all the love of our hearts for the Virgin Mother, and rejoice with her in the exceeding happiness she feels at having given birth to her and our Lord. During Advent we contemplated her as pregnant with the world's salvation; we proclaimed the glory of that Ark of the New Covenant, whose chaste womb was the earthly paradise chosen by the King of Ages for his dwelling place. Now she has brought him forth, the Infant God; she adores Him, He who is her Son. She has the right to call Him her Child and He, God as he is, calls her in strictest truth His Mother.

Collect for the day's Mass:

O God, who by the fruitful Virginity of Blessed Mary hast given to mankind the rewards of eternal salvation; grant, we beseech thee, that we may experience her intercession, by whom we received the Author of Life, our Lord Jesus Christ, thy Son. Who liveth, etc.

The Nativity Scene at Our House, 2011

2012-01-01T13:14:00.000-08:00

Built on the little yellow work table by the wood stove,

under one of the big north-facing windows, and comprised of:

* Eight Total Trees (decorated with ornaments and beads Christmas Eve)

* Two handmade bridges

* One beaten up, wooden "box" stable made by an old, old utility drawer

* One set of steps down to the west-side lower level, made by Jon a few years ago

* One set of steps down to the east-side lower level, made by Paul last week

* One pond, winding around the east side of the stable to

* One beaver dam

* Three rats

* Three raccoons

* Two beavers

* One hedgehog

*Two frogs

* One weasel

* One turkey

* Three "greater owls"

* Five or six "lesser owls"

* One squirrel

* One skunk

* Four turtles

* One bead spider in one wire spider web

* One hiding mouse

* Seven sheep

* Two sheep dogs

* Two shepherds

* One dear St. Joseph

* One beloved Blessed Mother

* One Divine Infant Saviour

(* Oh, and one cup of coffee for St. Joseph on Christmas morning.)

Things To Do Over Christmas Vacation

2011-12-28T10:10:00.000-08:00

Play with Gavin

Play Football in the Snow

Nathan

Gabey (Caught that one!)

Attend the school Christmas Play:
A Christmas Carol
(December 22nd

Theresa was an awesome Marley!

But I'm not sure she's gotten quite all the white out of her hair yet...

William front row, left; Gabey right next to him there -- in the boys' side of the Christmas chorus

William as Tiny Tim and Anna as Martha Cratchit, hugging her "Dad" Bob Cratchit

Cathy and Shell think the play is definitely high art.

Play Some More "Snow Ball"

Goof Around

Play With Gavin

Color

Goof Around

Play Poker/Pinochle/Board Games

Goof Around

Play With Gavin

Continue Nerf Wars

Goof Around

Challenge William on the Wii/Playstation

(William's so good at the Wii, that Paul made him play with a handicap. Here he's having to play with one eye closed. I think he still beat his big brother.)

Play With Gavin

More Poker, etc.

Challenge William, Upside-down

(I'm not sure who won this one...)

More Goofing Around

More Poker

Michelle's p.p.p.p.poker face

More Lovin' Up on Gavin

And...

The Tree

2011-12-27T07:25:00.000-08:00

This Year's Theme: A Family Tree

The Two Big Gifts:

This Victorian dollhouse (which Mommy has to brag she got for 1/4 retail ;)

And a Noah's Ark set for the little boys (which Mommy got for a song, new in the box at a thrift store! ;)

And everyone else should go home happy, too. But, being a Minnie Pearl at heart, I had to share the big bang for the little buck on these particular gifts, especially because they're heirloom toys and the Littles are thrilled with them. St. Anthony was super helper this year! I thank him for the great finds! Now the hunt begins for next year...

Christmas!

2011-12-26T20:28:00.000-08:00

First of all, let me introduce myself: Hi, I'm Lisa. And I'm a fair weather blogger.

But, gosh... I'm sure y'all understand, don't you?

Don't you?

Well, I hope so, anyway!

If it weren't for the flood of Christmas season chores this past month, and the drought of down time... If it weren't for all the children that blew in this past week, bringing with them drifts of laundry, storms of meal preparations three times a day, all of which had to be navigated around puddles of fun and gales of laughter.... If I could have done all I needed to do, and not fallen into bed exhausted every night -- I would have been glad to have blogged more often!

But, things have slowed down considerably All the work and preparation of Advent past has blossomed into the fruit of Christmas present!

As I type, it's Christmas Monday. It's the evening. Everyone except Paul and his family (who are at Nicole's parents') are home now, and it's very noisy and busy -- but most of the day was beautifully peaceful and slow. I got to hang around the house leisurely catching up on laundry and cleaning up the tsunami of Christmas flotsam and jetsam while the kids and Dan went swimming and bowling and I don't know what all. And now, they're all playing poker back there behind me at the dining room table.

All is right with the world. The gang now has towels for their morning showers, it's possible to walk through the living room, there's food laid out for everyone to nibble on... And I am here to blog. So, look out! Here come the pictures, and a little catching up.

Our Christmas So Far
First of all, the people. Yes, indeed. We've had people.

The Usual Gang (plus me and Dan) have been present and accounted for:

Theresa

Gabey

Anna

Cathy

Yuyum

But, then... Paul and Nicole drove in from California last Friday -- and brought, of course, our favorite little Christmas elf, our beautiful grandson, Gavin.

(I just love this one!)

And this one!
(See our little almost-walking dude?)

And Kevvy played taxi cab all the way to Omaha last week from Denver and up over the mountains to us on the western slope. With him were Jon, Michelle, and Jon's buddy and fellow-seminarian, Nathan. They all got here last Tuesday...

Here's Jon.
"Aw, Mom. quit taking pictures, will ya?"

And, allow me to introduce Nathan -- a new favorite around here.

And Shelly of course. Everyone knows Shelly.
But most everyone here (especially her big brothers) calls her "Chicky."
(Long story why that is....)

My sista, the kids beloved aunt, and my bestest friend drove in last Tuesday -- and had to leave this morning....

No family gathering would be complete without Aunt Nina.
There she is on the other side of Kevvy there, helping
out with the waffle making marathon Christmas morning.

Dan's parents drove in from California, arriving on Christmas eve. We get to enjoy them through to the new year!

Here's Dan's Mom, Gavin's great grandma
and special friend. She and Dan's dad live a short
drive from Paul and Nicole and get to babysit Gavin
all the time. (We're all totally jealous.) They got in
on Christmas Eve.

Here's Dan's Dad, designated toy-assembler, working on a marshmallow gun on Christmas morning.

And yesterday, sometime around midnight, while the choir sang like angels at Midnight Mass, our most honored and beloved Guest arrived! To stay with us until the end of time.

Happy Birthday, Jesus!
Thank You for coming into our world and into our hearts.
We love you.

* Stay tuned tomorrow for a peek at our Christmas decorations -- and our "theme tree" for Christmas 2011.

Happy Feast of the Immaculate Conception!

2011-12-08T14:56:00.000-08:00

The Lord possessed me

In the beginning of His ways,

Before He made anything

From the beginning.

I was set up from eternity, and of old,

Before the earth was made.

The depths were not as yet,

and I was already conceived;

Neither had the fountains of waters

as yet sprung out;

The mountains with their huge bulk

had not as yet been established:

Before the hills I was brought forth;

He had not yet made the earth,

Nor the rivers,

Nor the poles of the world.

When He prepared the heavens, I was present;

When with a certain law and compass

He enclosed the depths;

When He established the sky above,

And poised the fountains of waters;

When He compassed the sea with its bounds,

And set a law to the waters that they should not pass their limits;

When He balanced the foundations of the earth;

I was with Him forming all things;

And was delighted every day,

Playing before Him at all times;

Playing in the world:

And my delight is to be with the children of men.

Now, therefore ye children, hear me:

Blessed are they who keep my ways.

Hear instruction, and be wise,

And refuse it not.

Blessed is the man who hears me,

Who watches daily at my gates,

And waits at the posts of my doors.

He who shall find me shall find life,

and shall have salvation from the Lord.

Proverbs 8, 22-35 and the Epistle for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception

* Congratulations to all those who today were Consecrated to the Blessed Mother according to the method of St. Louis DeMontfort: Our friends, Erin and Jan Marie, and our family members, whose very special devotions to the Blessed Mother are now under these titles:

Daniel Mark of Mary, Ark of the Covenant
Theresa Philomena of Mary, the Ivory Tower
Catherine Cecilia of Our Lady, House of Gold
Anna Germaine of Mary, Cause of our Joy
Gabriel Joseph of Mary, Queen of Apostles

...and William who is too young to be consecrated, but who insists that he is now William Thomas of Our Lady, Queen of Peace. (Which is a very good devotion for him, indeed, so I'm not arguing.)

And my title of devotion for the Blessed Mother is Lisa Bernadette, of the Immaculate Conception.

Our BestWishes for a Happy, Holy

Feast of the Immaculate Conception!

Who Was the Real St. Nicholas?

2011-12-06T12:59:00.000-08:00

What Did He Look Like?

Well... He didn't look like this:

Rather, he would have dressed like any other Turkish ecclesiastic of the fourth century, because that's what he really was -- the bishop (actually the archbishop) of Myra, in present-day Turkey. So, more likely His Excellency would have worn a semblance of robes as were common under Roman rule of the time.

Which, actually, didn't look like this, either:

You see, when officiating, the garb of a bishop wouldn't have included a bishop's miter, as it's commonly believed that miters didn't begin to be worn until after the tenth century. And, in fact, it's likely that his clerical vestments may not have differed at all from his street clothes, as this differentiation didn't start to occur until after the time of Constantine, well into the fourth century, and wasn't regularized throughout the Church until a couple centuries after the death of St. Nicholas.

Don't be mistaken, though, as iconography and symbolism are important ingredients of our Faith, it's logical and appropriate that St. Nicholas is almost always depicted wearing red -- as it's the traditional color of all bishops -- and that he's shown with the mitre and crozier of more modern times, as his office in the Church is a key part of his identity.

But what did he look like? Interestingly, this is something we actually do know. St. Nicholas is one of the few ancient saints whose entire skeletal relics remain intact. During a chapel restoration in the 1950s, the Archdiocese of Bari permitted a group of carefully chosen scientists to photograph and measure the bones of St. Nicholas. In doing so, they discovered that he was barely five feet tall and had a broken nose. What is also fascinating, is that, by studying the skull and using modern forensic technology, scientists have reconstructed what the St. Nicholas would really have looked like in real life! Go here to have a look!

What Did He Do?

The real St. Nicholas was a holy and well-loved Religious of the early Church, known for his courage and defense of the Faith during the persecutions of Diocletian. He was imprisoned, in fact, for his Faith during the reign of Diocletian, and one wonders if it was during this time that he got the broken nose! But, after the persecutions ended, the work didn't end for the early Church leaders. St. Nicholas, in his see at Myra, was particularly called to erase the scourge of paganism and brought about the destruction of many pagan temples in his diocese, most notably that of the Temple of Artemis in Lycia.

He also attended the Council of Nicaea in 325 and for his staunch defense of the doctrine of the Blessed Trinity earned the title of "Defender of Orthodoxy" which is still remembered (particularly in the Eastern Church). During the Nicaean Council, legend has it that St. Nicholas became so frustrated with the foolishness of the arguments against the Trinity, that during the debates, he flew across the room and actually slapped Arius, his chief opponent! For this affront to the dignity of the council, St. Nicholas was put in prison to cool off, but in a miracle, he was freed of his chains by Christ, Himself, and clothed by the Blessed Mother in the omophorion, the stole that became the traditional garb of the eastern bishops.

The slap. You can mess with
St. Nick, but don't mess with
the Holy Trinity!

But, aside from his ecclesiastical duties as a bishop and defender of the Faith, St Nicholas was known as a holy man, one especially likeable and warm-hearted. As you might guess, he really was known for his devotion to the care of the poor, and the legend of his secret gifts to the needy appear to be perfectly true. But, aside from his practical works of mercy, he was known, even in his day as a Wonder Worker; many miracles are included in his biography, a large portion of which concern helping and protecting children. He has earned for this reason the title of patron of children -- but it's more likely that when he brought gifts to needy children, it was in the way of food and warm clothing -- not toys or candy.

Where Did He Live?

St. Nicholas was born in 270 A.D., the son of wealthy parents in the Greek city of Patara, which was at that time a province of the Roman Empire. This area is now the southern coast of Turkey. When he was a young man, St. Nicholas went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, where he stayed for a while, but upon returning, stopped in Myra (which is now the town of Demre), where he was elected Bishop. He traveled in his duties, but remained bishop of the see of Myra for the rest of his life.

Why He is Sometimes Called St. Nicholas of Bari?

When St. Nicholas died on December 6th, in the year 343, his body was entombed in Myra, but in the early 11th century, Muslims took over the town, and, in the confusion, sailors from Bari, Italy (against the wishes of the attending monks in Myra) removed the remains, taking them back with them to Bari, where St. Nicholas' relics remain to this day. A beautiful basilica, the " Basilica di San Nicola" was completed to house the relics in the middle of the twelfth century, this becoming a great pilgrimage center in the Middle Ages.

From the earliest days, miraculous oil or "manna" had exuded from the tomb and continued to do so after the relics' removal from Myra.The "Manna" (sometimes called "Myrrh") of St. Nicholas is reported to flow from the relics even to this day.

Is there Devotion to St. Nicholas in Our Day?
Unfortunately, regardless of all the wonder and drama and sanctity of his life, the real St. Nicholas has gotten somewhat lost in the confusion with Santa Claus in our western world. His feast day is on the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Anglican, and Lutheran calendars, but he's probably better known for one legendary act of mercy than for anything else in his long ,busy, very holy life. Just about anyone who has any idea of "St. Nick" can tell about the three daughters who lacked dowries to get married. The story goes that the Bishop, hearing of their need, snuck into the family's home by night and slipped the necessary funds into the girls' stockings that had been hanging to dry by the fireplace. This story is so ancient that the biographers of the saint believe that it has some foundation in fact. And it is from this work of mercy that our Christmas stocking tradition proceeds. Thus most American's single recollection of the life of our saint.

BUT...

According to the details given in Wikipedia, there are still many world wide traditions associated with St. Nicholas that aren't connected to our American Santa Claus, though some of them represent the forerunners of his tradition. From the Netherlands to Serbia and all over the world, December 6th is remembered in feast and custom honoring St. Nicholas. In celebration of his reknowned charity, gift-giving is usually part of the picture, of course.

And in the Church

We remember St. Nicholas today in the Mass:

Prayer of the Collect for December 6th

O God, who didst adorn by the workings of countless miracles the holy bishop Nicholas: grant, we beseech Thee, that by his merits and prayers we may be delivered from the flames of hell. Through our Lord.....

Ways To Celebrate the Feastday?

To dive into a plethora of customs and ideas for crafts and cooking to celebrate the day, you can go to The St. Nicholas Center, most especially for the true story of our saint; this site is an amazing resource -- the one from which I derived a lot of the facts you may have read here. And, by all means, if you have any inclination at all toward baking for St. Nicholas Day or any of the feasts of December, Catholic Cuisine is thee go-to website. For craft ideas, try Catholic Icing or run back over to the St. Nicholas Center for some ideas.

And for coloring pages (Gotta Have Coloring Pages!), there are several really good ones at the St. Nicholas Center, but the following icon is considered to actually most favor the real St. Nicholas:

Happy Feast of St. Nicholas!

St. Nicholas, Pray for us!

December: Month of the Holy Infant

2011-12-03T13:19:00.000-08:00

Some of our favorite images to celebrate the month!

I love how personal this painting (by an unknown artist) is.
See sweet Jesus' little hand on His Mother's cheek?
==sigh== Just love it.

Bouguereau. What more can you say? William Adolph Bouguereau. One of our all-time favorite artists. This is a detail of the painting called "L'innocence."

"Song of the Angels" Bougeureau

"The Virgin with Angels" Bougeureau

"The Lambs" Bougeureau

"Virgin of the Lilies"
Bougeureau

"Madonna of the Roses"
Bougeureau

"Kissing the Face of God" by Morgan Weistling

Unknown Artist

Another take on "Kissing the Face of God." Beautifully real and intimate.

Unknown Artist
Searched and searched for the artist of this painting, a particular
favorite of ours. I love the gravity in the Blessed Mother's eyes
and how the Infant Saviour looks so much like a real infant.

"Mother and Child" by another favorite: Charles Bosseron Chambers

Unknown Artist
Another one where the Holy Infant looks very
much like an infant. And the Blessed Mother
looks decidedly Hebrew. A nice change from the
ordinary.

A contemporary religious artist, Simon Dewey paints
remarkably realistic scenes from the life of Christ.
This one is called "In the Arms of Mary."

There are many, many beautiful paintings of the Baby Jesus and His Mother painted by the Masters, as well. It's been a favorite subject of artists since the time of Christ, the image of the Mother of God tenderly holding the Infant Saviour -- and with good reason. Could there be a more sublime scene to contemplate?

Veni, Veni, Emanuel!

Happy December, 2012

Hope everyone's having a blessed Advent so far!

The Feast of St. Andrew/ The Christmas Novena

2011-11-30T10:08:00.000-08:00

St. Andrew:
* Original trade was as a fisherman
* First an apostle of St. John the Baptist
* Then the first of the twelve Apostles of Our Lord and Saviour
* Brother of St. Peter
* Preached in Scythia (including parts of Russia) and Greece
* Tied to a cross, in legend X-shaped, and crucified in Patras near Greece
* Preached for two days as he hung on the cross dying
* Chief relics preserved at the Basilica of St. Andrew in Patras, Greece
* More complete bio of St. Andrew here
* Patron saint of: Scotland, Ukraine, Russia, Sicily, Greece, Cyprus, Romania, Diocese of Parañaque, Philippines, Amalfi, Luqa (Malta) and Prussia; Diocese of Victoria fishermen, fishmongers, rope-makers, golfers and performers

* ALSO, today, on the feast of St. Andrew, we begin the Christmas Novena. All fifteen repetitions of the prayer may be said all together at any time each day for the next twenty-five days -- ending on Christmas Eve. When we're able, though, we say it five times in the morning, five times midday and five times in the evening. It's a wonderful tool for recollection during Advent! And, heaven knows, there is much to pray for. Again, here's how it goes:

Blessed be the hour and the moment

In which the Son of God was born

Of the most pure and blessed Virgin Mary

At midnight
In Bethlehem
In the piercing cold.

In that hour, vouchsafe, O my God,
To hear my prayers and grant my petitions,
Through the merits of Jesus Christ,
Our Lord and Redeemer. Amen

Long Quiet Afternoons While Daddy Watches the Broncos...

2011-11-28T21:00:00.000-08:00

Every Sunday afternoon, Anna and Cathy have a little tea party in their room. This particular week it came complete with real brewed tea, cream, sugar, sliced pears and crackers -- and Dick Van Dyke tapes on the old VHS Television.

No Boys Are Allowed.

*

After a few Sunday afternoons of trying to get in on these tea parties by whining and weedling and trying to sneak in -- to no avail -- William and Gabe decided to fight fire with fire. They decided they'd have a "Man Party." (Their words, not mine...)

And here it is. Complete with spiders and spider webs and bats and a couple of rubber rats.

No Girls Allowed.

But, go figure. The girls were just fine with that.

Dang it.

In fact, they thought it was high time the little boys came up with something to keep them out of the girls' hair.

Hmph!

Might as well hang out with Daddy and the onion dip and watch football in the living room.

Like. Hey! Wait a minute! Why don't we just hang out with Daddy and the onion dip and watch football in the living room??

Seriously. Who needs tea parties, anyway?

The Feast of St. Catherine of Laboure

2011-11-28T11:23:00.000-08:00

It's no accident, I'm sure, that the child we named for St. Catherine Laboure has a particular inclination for capable service and hard work.

Cathy's patron saint, you see, was a hard worker! Originally christened Zoe Laboure, St. Catherine was the daughter of French landowners in the early 19th century, a woman of particular abilities -- and a strong and lively temperament which she perfected to great humility and obedience. Though she was the daughter of middle class parents and a member of a large and loving family, her life was not an easy one. Little Zoe Laboure, the ninth of eleven children, was only eight years old when her mother died, and since her older sister had entered the convent, she had to take on the care of the house and farm for her father at a very tender age -- but she did so with great capability and patience, waiting for the day when she could also enter the religious life. Through all her labors, she kept a spirit of charity and cheerfulness, and tended carefully to her spiritual life, rising before dawn every day to begin her day at Mass. If it had not been for her duties to her family, she would have entered the convent as early as St. Therese of Lisieux would later in the century, but Zoe's father and some of her siblings discouraged her vocation. Still, after numerous obstacles, God's will prevailed and Zoe's choice of an order having been confirmed in a vision of St. Vincent De Paul, himself, she was finally able to enter the Convent of St. Vincent in 1830, when she was twenty-four years old.

After her profession, Sr. Catherine was sent to a hospital in Paris to work alongside the Sisters of Charity, beginning her many years of labor first in the kitchens, then in the laundry, and finally, working in the hospice for aged gentlemen in Reuilly, where she also was in charge of the chickens. She continued this charitable work for forty years, to all appearances leading the humble and useful, but unremarkable life of an ordinary Sister.

Very few people knew during Sr. Catherine's lifetime that she was the Sister of the Miraculous Medal -- the honored soul to whom the Blessed Virgin had entrusted the mission of producing a medal of heavenly design and special indulgence. The many appearances of Our Lady to Sr. Catherine were a closely guarded secret between her and her confessor -- her identity was not even revealed to the bishop who approved the striking of the medals -- but by the time of Sr. Catherine's death in 1875, a billion medals had been minted and circulated -- and they were already being hailed as miraculous.

Her secret wasn't made known until after her death on December 31, 1876, at the age of seventy: Humble Sr. Catherine, the hospice nurse, the keeper of the chickens, was the holy Sister into whose capable hands the Mother of God had trusted her Miraculous Medal. The Sisters of the convent were astounded. The humble nursing Sister whom the Mother of God had visited with intimate charm and comfort in the chapel of St. Vincent in 1830 was found to be an "incorruptible" when her body was exhumed in 1933, and is now preserved whole and beautiful in a glass coffin where it can be seen today at the Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal in Paris.

St. Catherine was beatified in 1933 by Pope Pius XI and was canonized by Pope Pius XII in 1947. The Medal of the Immaculate Conception, now known as the Miraculous Medal, has become one of the most commonly worn sacramentals in the Catholic Church.

St. Catherine of Laboure, teach us humility and diligence in our stations in life! Please pray for us!

St. Catherine's incorrupt body as it looks today. It is located at 140 Rue de Bac, Paris,
at the Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal.

For an excellent post on St. Catherine with a bazillion wonderful links, run over to a JOYfilled Family. For a more thorough, beautifully written online read about St. Catherine, go here. For a coloring page of St. Catherine, run over here. Or click and print below:

In the original French.

And in English.

And, last but not least:
Happy nameday to our Catherine
And all the Catherines out there!

Makes My Monday

2011-11-27T18:46:00.000-08:00

The First Sunday in Advent

And we actually got the Advent wreath up and ready to go in the nick of time! Woohoo!

We also got our first Advent Sunday prayers said and our wreath blessed, even though Daddy (That would be my husband, not my father) had to leave on a business trip. Which is a bummer. =sigh= And it wasn't the same, but Mommy (That would be me, not my mother. Ahem.) pinch hit for him this week.

Now we just need to get our Christmas Novena printed, posted, and started on the Feast of St. Andrew (Nov 20th) and we're on our way with a good foot forward toward Bethlehem!

Check it out. William, being the youngest, got the great honor of blowing out the candle this week, the Sunday after his birthday. Next week it'll be Gabe's turn. I don't know if you can see it, but right behind the wreath (which, incidentally, has one candle holder that's too short and one white candle that needs to be exchanged for a pink one...) you can just barely see the little crib at the Blessed Mother's feet. It's waiting to be filled, strand by strand, with bits of straw to make a soft bed for the Baby Jesus on Christmas day. Everyone is vowing to make sweet Jesus' crib cushy and full. And the Littles are anxious that we should make him a little blanket, too. So I guess I'll be working on that here soon. It's going to have to be something mighty special to be good enough for the Infant Saviour, though -- and I am no seamstress... We need to send some prayers up for this intention; I need all the help I can get! Anyone know who the patron saint of seamstresses is?

Oh, and below you'll find the St. Andrew's Christmas Novena if anyone needs a pretty printable copy. It's not actually a novena, though, you know. Technically, a novena is said for nine days, and this one's said for twenty-five... And we say it 15 times a day, which means that we repeat these beautiful words of petition 375 times between St. Andrew's feast and Christmas! So, if you haven't got this prayer memorized already, it usually doesn't take long!

Can you believe it's already Advent?! It gives me a little thrill of anticipation repeating these words again for the first time this season! Christmas is coming around again! Already! Goodness, but time passes so quickly -- but, what the hey... Jesus is coming! The world may spin out of control, but the Liturgical Year rolls around so beautifully, so predictably. And it's all good. Really, really good.

Starting the Christmas Season with all its tradition and spiritual "bookmarks" totally Makes My Monday!

Click to print.

Run over to Cheryl's for lots of Make My Monday posts!

William's Sixth Birthday Party

2011-11-26T09:48:00.000-08:00

So, today is actually William's birthday, but since all our Thanksgiving company is leaving today, we did our celebrating yesterday.

To start the day, the girls (which included my sis, Nina, Michelle, Theresa, Cathy, Anna, and I) all went shopping, while Dan had a boys' day out with sons, Kevvy, Gabe and William, adopted-son, Omar, and our new friend, Brian. While we were hunting sales in the department stores, the boys were out on the Uncompahgre Plateau hunting out just the right Christmas tree.

And they found a beauty. Not as big as last years' tree -- because of the new desk, we have to put it in a different window, closer to the downslope of the ceiling -- but, still, it's a nice, full, pretty tree. It's become a tradition to cut our Christmas tree on Thanksgiving weekend when we have more man power, though we won't actually decorate it until the week before Christmas. But, bare or not, I love having it next to me as I sit at the computer here; it looks and smells warm and comforting just standing there in its God-given simplicity. Now, as Advent continues, the kids and I will make ornaments, bit by bit, to hang later.

William's first peeled potato. He was
very, very proud of it, let me tell you.

But, anyway -- I digress! To continue with William's birthday story... It's also a family tradition to peel way too many potatoes for Thanksgiving mashed potatoes -- for the express reason of having leftovers for potato soup the next day. So, after we girls got back from shopping, we quick-cleaned the house, and rearranged all the furniture to accomodate the tree the boys had put up while we were gone. Then we made potato soup, with garlic bread and crackers. The big brothers and sisters figured out how to personalize the two boughten ice cream cakes for William to have for dessert. Then around 5:30, we welcomed our friend, Brian, and our two parish priests whom we'd invited to join us.

We had the soup. And the soup was good. (How can potato cheese soup not be good?)

And the soup was followed by William's birthday cakes -- with a car ramp arranged between the two of them so that a matchbox car could zoom down between the six flaming candles. The cakes were good and the stunt was appreciated -- especially by the two little boys.

Then, William opened his presents.

And the games began.

Play dough is always a hit around here.

But these two dollar-store goofy glasses got some serious bang for the buck.
Here are Gabe and Birthday Boy, William.

Here's Omar.

We all thought Kevvy looked kinda natural.

Even Brian tried them on.

But then there was this gift: a set of three Nerf guns
with a super pack of extra Nerf "bullets."
And... Well... You want to talk about getting some mileage...

Here's that six-year-old William.

Here are a few of the things you can do with Nerf bullets:

Lovely, Michelle.

And, in case anyone thought that having the priests over for dinner necessarily means having a quiet, sedate, and formal evening.... Well.... There was a semi-lull in the middle of the activity for a couple rip-roaring games of Catch Phrase. And some nice interludes of lovely piano playing. But, the evening was mostly dominated by...

Nerf Wars!

Father B. is a formidable Nerf war opponent!

And Fr. J. is a dead aim!

You should have seen it in the thick of the battle! Noone was safe: Nerf bullets flying everwhere, children big and small slipping and sliding on the floor, darting behind couches and counters -- challenges, parries, grudge matches... Fr. B. and Fr. J. both had the kids on the run. Simultaneously, the young adults (with Dan and the Fathers joining in occasionally) held a long-running match to see who was best at throwing the suction-cup bullets clear across the roomwith enough trajectory and aim to make them stick on the big north window... We are still finding Nerf bullets everywhere. But it was a hoot! Our "Fathers" were (not uncustomarily) the life of the party!
I think everyone had a great time.
And I'm pooped.

But William says it was the best birthday party ever --
And that being six years old is pretty much fun so far.
"It's just like being five, but with more toys."

Happy Birthday, Little Guy!
We sure do love you!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T11:23:00.000-08:00

We are thankful for:

Our Faith, Family, and Friends,

And All the Good Things the Heavenly Father Sends,

Like :

My washer and dryer

And coffee by the fire;

Cheese, tapioca, pumpkin pie

Living in a house, not a pig stye;

Bimpslins, and crimpstlins, and painted toes,

Some nice webbed feet and a stuck up nose;

I am thankful for Michelle she is my freind,

together our freindship will never end;

Grass and early morning dew

And a great big sky, clear and blue

Pies, even though there should be more --

And Cathy for doing our menial chores;

Mops and also soap and bubbles

for cleaning up all Anna's puddles;

For kitty cats and puppy dogs

And brothers who sit on the couch like bumps on logs;

Thankful for acorns and leaves that fall

and the care and love that comes from all;

For, Nina who is the best aunt ever,

the hugs and kisses she gives us -- I will love her forever:

Potato peelers that actually peel

and the awesome amazing Thanksgiving meal!

Children who pitch in and help with the cookin --

All of 'em smart and sweet and good lookin;

(And goofy and silly and weird and random --

You have to be mighty open-minded to stand 'em...)

Thankful for all this, true

But also mindful Who we're thankful To!

From the Davises and Extended Family and Friends!

(Mashed Potatos and stuffing

Blueberry and pumpkin pie;

I'm so full and suff'ring

If I eat anymore I'll die!)

(Written by folks here present who happened past the computer and kindly added: Dan and me, Kevvy, Omar, Michelle, Theresa, Cathy, and Anna)

The List + Butter Making 101

2011-11-22T11:07:00.000-08:00

* turkey: check
(Two fourteen pounders instead of one 20-odd pounder, because the price worked out better, and because, even though we have a light crew this year, we LOVE us some leftover turkey!)

* potatoes: check
(Russet, ten pound bag.)

* green beans: check

(To be made Grandmom style, with a little butter and a dab of beef bouillon added.)

* creamed corn: check
(Canned, because it's not wildly popular enough to take the time and trouble of "scratch.")

* bread and vegges for stuffing: not quite
(Got bread and onions, but I need to get some more celery.)

* plenty of flour and yeast for rolls: check

* home-churned butter: check
(The kiddos are really excited about this one; it's a special treat for Thanksgiving this year. See below!)

* Cranberry sauce: check
(Jellied and out of the can because every year I make it from scratch, nobody eats it but me.)

* Sweet potatoes and marshmallows for Fluff: check
(Because some people think Thanksgiving is all about the sweet potato fluff.)

* Spiced apple rings and cream cheese for apple ring treats: not yet
(Can't find the jarred apple rings here on the western slope, so we're making our own today.)

* Pie crusts: check
(Because when you make more than two or three, it's just way too time consuming to roll them all out.)

* Filling ingredients for French silk, pumpkin, apple, butterfinger, and blueberry pies: check

(No more than six this year for goodness sake! We don't have that many people -- and Jon, the pie making machine isn't here... Though he is apparently being utilized by the seminary to supply a Thanksgiving bake sale.)

* All the towels and wascloths washed: almost
(One more load -- Important because we go through them unbelievably quickly with even only a couple extra teenagers home.)

* Beds and bedding ready for extra bodies: almost
(Still have to get up in the attic and unpack a couple extra pillows and maybe one blanket)

* Kevin, Michelle, Omar, and Aunt Nina: On their way!
(Should be here in time for 7:00 Adult Doctrine Class with Fr. Bernard tonight and to help with pies tomorrow!)

Churning Butter 101:

First, add room temperature cream to your butter churn -- double cream is best . This is a half gallon, a good amount to start with. We are fortunate to get our cream from the organic dairy up the hill, but grocery store cream will work just fine. We found the '30s era Dazey butter churn at an antique store some time back, but the same effect can be had using a large jar with a tight lid. Instead of turning the handle, the cream can be shaken in the jar -- or rolled back and forth by careful hands across a carpeted floor. Or, you can use the blender, but it's not nearly as rewarding as the "hands on" experience!

Now, here comes the fun part! Start the cranking or shaking or blending at a slow pace until the cream starts to thicken, then pick up the pace. It took us a about an hour of constant (or well, semi-constant churning) to seperate most of the butter milk from the solid form of the butter. It takes longer if the milk isn't room temp, or if the "agitation" isn't constant.

If you have a kitty, she will know without being told that something very interesting is going on...

And it won't take long before she is really making life difficult trying to get into the churn.

Once the butter has separated -- and you'll know when it does! -- scoop out as much of it as you can with a ladle.

When you reach the point that the butter looks like this, you will also have a good amount (a couple pints or so) of buttermilk. After you've ladled as much as you can, carefully pour the last remaining drops of buttermilk carefully into your pitcher and save it all to use later. Or to drink!

Then, add about a half cup of cold water to the churn/blender/jar and give it some more agitation. Pour off after a bit and discard. Repeat this step until the water runs clear.

Here you see the butter and the buttermilk.

The next job is to remove as much of the remaining buttermilk as is humanly possible. This helps keep your butter from going rancid. The best way we found to do this is to place the blob of butter on a large, sterilized cutting board. Using a rubber spatula, pat, turn, and fold the butter. You'll see "beads" and streams of buttermilk rising up and pooling underneath. Place a rag at one end of your cutting board and tip the board on the opposite end, to allow the buttermilk to roll down into the rag. Do this often. It takes a good half hour usually to pat out all the buttermilk.

When you've gotten out as much as you can, you can add salt if desired, folding and mixing it in thoroughly with your rubber spatula. We used three teaspoons for this amount of butter. But it's up to you how salted you like your butter.

After you've got out as much of the liquid as you possibly can, place the butter into molds -- or little tupperware containters with good lids. To unmold, you may just need to gently squeeze the sides of your container and pop the butter out onto a plate. If it sticks, wrap a hot rag around the bottom of the container for just a couple seconds, which should loosen it up enough to upturn onto your butter dish for a pretty presentation. (You can smooth the final product with the back of a spoon if it's a little "messy.")

This is how much we made from a half gallon of cream.

This is how the finished product looks. And when you taste it, you'll be amazed at how much better it is than store-boughten! SO creamy and light! Worth every crank!

For the Feast of the Presentation of Mary

2011-11-20T10:42:00.000-08:00

Monday, November 21st
(A repost from 2008)

It is traditional belief that St. Anne and St. Joachim dedicated their only daughter, Mary, to God in her earliest years, offering the great sacrifice of having her brought up in the Temple. Not in their own home. It's a difficult concept for loving parents to get their brains around.

Having done it myself, I can understand and sympathize with the difficult decision to send older children ~ teenagers ~ away to be educated. But toddlers? It's hard to imagine.

But Mary was no ordinary toddler.

We have to understand that Our Blessed Mother was singularly blessed, not only in her spotless person, but in her parents. They obviously heard God's Will and had the courage and faith to obey it. The place for their extraordinary little girl, the woman who was to be the Mother of God, was away from the world,in a place where she could be raised as close to the Father as it was possible. There were some of the saints who were dedicated in the same way as small children, and it was surely no easy decision for their parents to make, either. But, it's heart-rending, isn't it, to think of it in terms of our own families, our own small children?

Sure, we want our children to be saints. But, to dedicate them to God so completely that we give them up? In this day and age, the practical application doesn't even exist. Maybe that's a good thing. Who on Earth could we trust so completely?

But, we can dedicate our children to God without sending them away. In fact, in our times, one of the best ways to dedicate them to Heaven is to keep them centered in our homes, steeped in our Faith.

We can teach them service to God through our example in practicing the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy.

The boys can learn to serve at the altar, the girls can learn to arrange the altar flowers and take care of the linens. (These are things young Mary undoubtedly learned to do!)

When we educate our children, we can be sure to teach them also the universal interrelationship with Divine Providence ~ in all that they learn, in math and the sciences, language, art, and music, even shop class, home ec and PE.

By our example, we teach them habits of goodness and respect for the discipline of faith.

We pray for them and teach them to pray.

It all comes round in a circle, back to God: cause, effect, and purpose. When our children laugh and play they can send their wholesome happiness heavenward, and it will be received as prayers. When they sleep, when they wake, when they celebrate, when they suffer, our children can be gaining merit. Every minute of the day. We dedicate them to God by teaching them to dedicate themselves to Him. Whether they are two or twenty-two, we, as their parents, can and should teach them that their identity is with and through Him. And that, whatever their eventual vocation is, saecular or religious, they will find no greater happiness on this earth than they will knowing, loving and serving God.

Teaching them these things, and living with Christ the King as the center of our family universe ~ this is how we dedicate our children to God.

In this day and age, it's not an easy thing to do. The world, the devil, and our own bad inclinations all conspire against us. It's not easy overcoming the message of the average American saecular humanist ~ who doesn't understand that goodness is happiness and worldliness is not. But, it's well worth the trouble; the rewards are eternal!

Saints Anne and Joachim are ideal patrons for parents whose goal is to raise their children above the world. And the Blessed Mother, herself, is the tenderest guide.

Prayer for 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 priviledge - 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.

Prayer to St. Joachim and St. Anne

Great and glorious patriarch, St Joachim, and good St Anne, what joy is mine when I consider that you were chosen among all God's holy ones to assist in the fulfillment of the mysteries of God, and to enrich our earth with the great Mother of God, Mary most holy. By this singular privilege, you have become most powerful with both the Mother and her Son, so as to be able to obtain for us the graces that are needful to us.

With great confidence I have recourse to your mighty protection, and I commend to you all my needs, both spiritual and temporal, and those of my family. Especially do I entrust to your keeping the particular favour that I desire and look for from your intercession.

And since you were a perfect pattern of the interior life, obtain for me the grace to pray earnestly, and never to set m heart on the passing goods of this life. Give me a lively and enduring love for Jesus and Mary. Obtain for me also a sincere devotion and obedience to Holy church and the sovereign pontiff who rules over her, in order that I may live an die in faith and hope and perfect charity. Let me ever invoke the holy Names of Jesus and Mary. And may I thus be saved.
Amen.

Seven Not-Very-Quick Takes

2011-11-18T06:50:00.000-08:00

Gabe, 7

1. We were watching a movie the other day in which there was considerable drama forced upon the hero by two different girls vying for his hand in marriage. After the 2nd or 3rd round of the heroe's changing his constantly spinning mind, Gabe, in disgust remarked, "If it were me, I'd just be a priest!"

William agreed enthusiastically and added, "Or a Brother!" And then, on a half minute's thought, said, "But I don't want to be a Brother!" We all looked over at him, waiting for the punchline, and got, "Or a Sister! Of course not! I'm not a girl!"

He laughed at his own joke there, then commenced pounding his forehead with the heel of his palm. "And I don't want to be a.... a.... a...."

Guessing where he was going, I said, "A bishop?"

"Yeah, that's it. I don't want to be a bishop, either."

William, 5

OK, then," we asked, knowing our cue, "What do you want to be?"

"I want to be a... Ugh! What's that called? What's that guy called?"

We were clueless. "You tell us, William."

And the lightbulb dinged over his head. "I know! I know!" he said. "I want to be a pope!"

And there you have it. Are you starting to get the picture of the kind of kid we have here? Took twenty years and ten kids to get this one. And he's a lulu!

2. One thing that must happen around here. And soon. The bucket of peanut brittle that Dan got Anna for her birthday must be eaten. By someone else besides me. All of it. Get on it, kids, for heaven's sake.

Anna, 9

3. Anna (9) has an ardent (if not at all secret) admirer in the 2nd grade (She's in the 3rd). The sweet little guy gives Anna little homemade cards and notes practically every day. Last week he found out that her birthday was over the weekend, and got together something extra special to give her on Monday -- and all of us here, who have been hovering between being disconcerted (as former homeschoolers who haven't dealt with this before) and highly amused (because we love the irony of a hopeless romance almost as much as slapstick) find ourselves tipping into the smirking-behind-our-hands camp.

Picture this and imagine our bittersweet amusement: Monday afternoon, Anna brings home a very pretty Christmas card from her admirer with "Christmas" crossed out and "Birthday" written in -- and in the envelope, a little cache of stickers, two pretty rocks, and a little scrap of purple paper upon which was written: " To Anna. You are Butuflu." Isn't that so sweet it makes you wanna cry? Or laugh? Or both?

How does Anna react to these amorous missives? She's like, "Eh." The little guy is in second grade, doncha know. Seriously. Everyone likes him; he's a doll. The cutest, sweetest little guy you've ever seen. And she wouldn't hurt his feelings for anything, but her instinct is to not encourage it, either. (Applause from the gallery!)

But, alas.... Since the birthday card episode, poor Anna is has heard more than she might like to hear about the whole silly thing -- what with people telling her how "Butuflu" she is and all. So I have to call a stop to the teasing.

Even if she really is Butuflu.

* For enquiring minds... Anna did graciously give her permission for me to tell this story. I wouldn't post it if it were a source of embarassment to her or if I thought there was a shadow of a chance her little beau getting wind of it... Just thought that might be important to disclose. :)

Cathy, 11

4. For Martinmas last Friday, homeschooler, Cathy, and I sewed up some simple fleece scarves, bought some super cheap gloves (four pairs for $6) and little winter beanies ($2 and $3 a piece), then took out all the buttons and trims and "findings" we could dig up in our sewing and craft bins (which was a lot, since -- as Dan will tell you, while shaking his head and rolling his eyes -- I never throw anything away) -- and set the girls to decorating their own winter sets. Since I'm not ready to trust the little boys with an instrument as sharp as a needle, I did theirs myself -- with snowflakes and snowmen -- with a pack of alligators attacking Williams' because it seemed somehow appropriate on a scarf for William... And, anyway, a week after the fact, here they all are:

And you can see them around the necks of the youngins above and below, too.

5. Due to circumstance beyond my control (because, believe me, if it were in my control, I would just spend, spend, spend, spend spend.... ), it's going to be a lean Christmas this year. But, no really... It's fine. I'm going to be OK. Christmas is going to be OK. The kids are going to survive. It's not about the presents. It's about Jesus. And, anyway, last year's was an out-of-the-ordinary exuberant Christmas, so it's all in the balance. And, in the spirit of "we really don't have it bad in the big picture, and we've never been rich, anyway" perspective, I'm really looking forward to simplifying this year.

Advent we hope to spend looking inward and heavenward, preparing for our Total Consecration on December 8th. All of us, Anna and up, are working toward this great grace and honor. Then in the two weeks leading up to Christmas, we'll work on homemade gifts, baking, and planning family get-together fun for the week between Christmas and New Year when the whole gang will be home. (We're cooking up some doozy party themes that I'll fill you in on as things come together.)
But on the gifting thing, because there will be a little of that -- Those few things we purchase need to have special punch -- at a reasonable price. In my wanderings for just. thee. perfect. gifts for each of the kids, I've stumbled into some super fun online stores. Here are a couple:

Gratuituous photo of Theresa, 12

* For teenage boys and young men, ya gotta take a look at the Perpetual Kid site and then run over and take a look at their coupons! Think Geek has big boy stuff, too, that will tickle their funny bones and then run over and take a look at their coupons!

* For kids of all ages, categorized, in fact, by ages, you have to check out Fat Brain's toy shop. And for some cool stuff, it's fun poking around the Cool Stuff Express website. And you know you gotta go check it out if the site is called "Cool Stuff Cheap." But for real toys (not like we really need any more toys around here, mind you), you can find lots of good stuff at discount school supply sources and museum catalogues.

* For clothes that we don't get at thrift stores or garage sales, we love L.L. Bean. Just love 'em. And they have coupons, too!

6. For the past month or so we've been having fun with an incentive chart based on our little "hiding" squirrel, Chippy. It looks like this:

Here's the deal:

For the Christmas season, we'll change the theme, but I haven't figured out yet what I'll change it to. And then we always have the Christmas crib and the straws devotion that we'll pull out. I found a beautiful new little baby Jesus for the crib, too, that we're excited about! I'll take a pic of him when I pull him out after Thanksgiving.
* Here's a question for the siblings and aunts who are far away: Can you guess who's won the Chippy Count every Sunday so far?

7. I've been having to stop myself from being tidy-obsessed lately. Not that I'm OCD, mind you -- I mean, you should see the inside of my pantry and the back fridge. No, actually, you shouldn't. But, especially if I'm tired or stressed, I can't relax if the room I'm in is not at least picked up. Which, as you might guess, in a house with five kids at home (at the moment) and a husband who just doesn't much care God bless him, is maybe not a reasonable expectation? Is it?

No, really. Is it unreasonable? I mean, not all the rooms have to be clean -- just the room I'm in. So, as long as the kids stay one step ahead of me, anticipating my migration through the house, everything will be good. And I won't have to nag.

That's not asking too much, is it?

Ok, yeah. I guess it is.

It's going to get crazy messy pretty fast around here though, regardless. The troops will be arriving on Tuesday for Thanksgiving -- at least those troops that have gotten passes to come home (so to speak), which ==heavy sigh== is not very many of them. But, you can count on it looking like we've been overrun by the whole Marine First Division, anyway. No matter how many kids show up.

The count so far: We'll have Kevvy and Michelle and adopted son, Omar, and my sis, Nina, is coming. But no Paul and Nicole and baby Gavin; no Jon or Br. Pio; no Mom or Dad or any other sibs of mine.

There will be only eleven of us here eating turkey next Thursday. Weird.

Anybody wanna come and fill out our numbers? I can't cook for less than twenty people on Turkey Day.

Really.

I won't even make you clean house.

Jennifer' is the place for more Quick Takes (probably quicker Quick Takes than these were...)

Table Talk

2011-11-15T20:21:00.000-08:00

Over Chicken soup and garlic bread this evening...
We break in on the following conversation just as the family has been informed by an, um, informer that our kindergartener, William, has been cutting up in class...

Mommy: William, don't I tell you every morning not to be silly at school?

William: But school is seeeeven hours...

And there I was for a half second, thinking, "Poor little guy; I guess that is a long time to hold back something that comes so naturally to him...." That's what I was thinking, mind you, until he added:

And I forget as soon as I go in the door.

And there ya have it, folks. At least he tells it like it is.

And, yes, we laughed.
Which is why he continues to be the class clown everywhere he goes.

Here's William, five years old. Thirty seconds of him:

What's not to laugh at?

Laundry, Laundry, and More Laundry

2011-11-13T13:01:00.000-08:00

One thing sure and constant in life...

And something I didn't know until I became a wife:

No matter how hard a Momma tries --

Just before she catches up, the laundry multiplies.

Some Random Facts and Observations...

1. No matter how hard you try to get the children (or, ahem! the husband) to separate out their own clothes into whites and colors and towels, they will never truly master the skill in your household. It won't happen until the girls become mothers and the boys start having to spend their own money replacing pink underwear and socks. And then, it still may never kick in for boys. It's a fact best accepted and resigned to. Getting kids to sort consistently and properly is like teaching cats to use the toilet: theoretically possible but highly improbable. (Dang it, anyway.)

L'Ossovatore Romano, the newspaper of the Vatican, announced that the washing machine had more to do with women's liberation than the birth control pill or their right to work.

2. 98.9% of the time, when choosing clothes to wear to Mass, your son will wear the impossibly wrinkled button-down shirt he finds in the back of a drawer instead of any one of the five you've ironed and hung neatly in his closet. And he won't understand why you send him back to his room to change.

Bleach doesn't seem to be doing the job? When are you adding it? Detergent counteracts bleach so the two don't work well when used together. Try pouring in bleach only in the last five minutes of the wash cycle.

3. In a house with more than three children at home, it's against the law of physics to have all laundry hampers, baskets, and machines completely empty of laundry for a 24 hour period. If this ever happens, go out right away and buy a lottery ticket.

The average American family does 8 to 10 loads of laundry per week, which adds up to about 50 pounds. Since we're at least three times the average size family, you can guess how much laundry is cycled through our house every week -- and how much it weighs. Ugh. I don't want to do the math to figure it out. Let's just say it's a lot.

4. Since the children spend more time indoors during the winter, there are generally fewer articles to wash during this season, but the articles tend to be bigger and bulkier, so it's (ahem) a wash.

Laundry Day, an anual event every September in Antwerp, has nothing to do with washing clothes.

5. It's worth the quarters to take all the blankets and "throws" to the laundromat at least once a season to get them all washed and dried at the same time. It takes a quarter of the time it takes to do it at home -- and it's a good chance to catch up on your reading without interruptions from kiddos if you arrange for Dad or an older sibling to babysit while you're gone.
Detergent isn't actually soap; it's a chemical compound that helps clean clothes in washing machines because it keeps dirt suspended in the water. When it comes to cleaning clothes, the washing machine is the thing, not the detergent.
6. Some time back, an elderly gentleman overheard me complaining about my children's muddy footprints and told me that someday I'd miss that mud. And, well, hmmm... Out of respect for his age and kindly intentions, I didn't answer him back at that time. But I have to say it now that we're on the subject: I feel the same way about laundry as I do about the muddy feet. I may miss the feet and the children attached to them, but I'll never miss the mud; and I may miss the children when they're all grown and gone -- but I just know I will not miss the laundry. Just sayin'.

For home-made laundry detergent and fabric softener, run over here.

7. For the record: We finished Friday afternoon with nothing in the laundry room but one small basket of whites. It's now Sunday afternoon and I have an overflowing basket of whites, a full basket of colors, and a big, blue blanket to get started on tomorrow morning. ~SIGH~ The one thing that is sure besides death and taxes... Laundry, laundry, and more laundry.

The first agitating washing machine was invented on the verge of the 1920s by a couple of guys -- bless them, the Beatty brothers of Ontario, but the first dishwasher was inventd by a woman, Josephine Cochran, in 1886.

8. Laurel and Hard know about laundry.

Anna Davis, Nine Years Old

2011-11-13T09:29:00.000-08:00

November 12th, 2011

Where I'm From

I am from the little log cabin across the pasture from Jesus' house; from multi-colored elastic pony-tail holders, from Polly Pockets, teaparties, Nancy Drew and Scrabble.

I am from the cozy and crowded, snug and comfortable, the smell of cinnamon and nutmeg. I am from aspen and pine trees, mountain and prairie. From bad singing on birthdays and twenty-zillion pies at Thanksgiving.

I am from Nina and Grandmom, from Davises and Chenoweths -- choir singers, movie quoters and hula-hoopers from way back. From "Do unto others" and "Offer it up." I am from my Roman Catholic Faith, undiluted, unchanged, full of life and love and bounded by the rules and the rosary and the Mass and from flowers and pictures pinned around statues of the saints.

I'm from the the rolling plains and fertile valleys in the shadow of the mighty Colorado Rockies; from Ireland, and England, and Wales, and Germany.

I'm from quesadillas and bread sticks and potato soup. From Colcanon on St. Patrick's and Bouillabaisse on New Year's and chai in the morning if I'm lucky.

I am from my four big brothers' snowstorm "white-outs;" my three big sisters' music and baking; my little brothers' in trouble for bouncing on the couch. I'm from sitting on the sidelines giggling at all of them.

I'm from a billion photos on the hard-drive and a dozen tacked over the desk nearby; from a ten-sibling pyramid and mountain top hikes and board game bonanzas in a log cabin in the mountains.

I am from love and hugs and sibling squabbles; from a Mommy just waiting to hear what I'll say next and a Daddy who loves and "whoops up" unconditionally. I am from memories and love to last me a lifetime.

And then some.

* Written for Anna by Mommy ( from the template which can be found here).

Our Thanks to All Our Armed Forces, Past and Present

2011-11-11T07:13:00.000-08:00

Personal thanks and hugs and pride to our own military men: our son, Paul, second lieutenent in the Marine 1st Division; and my Dad, USN, retired.

Martinmas: 11-11-11

2011-11-08T17:11:00.000-08:00

Meet the Saint!

Friday is the feast of St. Martin of Tours, one of the most popular saints of the Middle Ages -- and one that's still well known today -- mainly for the famous story of his splitting his cloak with the beggar. I think most Catholics can call up the cloak story from memory at a moment's notice. Remember how the tale goes? After he had split his cloak in two to help a beggar, Christ revealed Himself to Martin in a dream, telling him that what Martin had done for the beggar, had been done for Christ, Himself. Isn't this a great exemplary tale? It's one the children especially remember, but, though it's certainly a good representation of St. Martin's charity, it misses a lot of the story of the real man.

St Martin was born in present-day Hungary in the early fourth century, but his father, a Roman tribune, was re-stationed, so Martin actually grew up in Italy. Against his parents' wishes, Martin, while still barely a child, began to study Christianity, then a "legal" religion under Constantine. When he was only fifteen years old, because he was the son of a veteran officer, he was obliged to join the Roman calvary. Thus he began his adult life as a Roman soldier, eventually winding up in Gaul (present-day France).

Known as a man of integrity, courage, and strength, Martin employed these same virtues for the Church after declaring his allegiance to his religious vocation over his allegiance to Rome early in his career. The story goes that in a campaign in present-day Germany, two years after the "cloak revelation," Martin realized that he could no longer fight for Rome, but had to follow God's directive to labor for souls. When he was jailed for cowardice for refusing to join in a battle, Martin offered to march unarmed at the head of the troops, but the opposing army surrendered, the battle never occured, and Martin was freed from the army. Free to fight for God.

And he was a fighter. St. Martin became a champion for the Faith against the Arian and Priscillian heresies, founded the Benedictine Liguge Abbey, as well as the Abbey of Marmoutier, as well as having been the celebrated Bishop of Tours, France... But, here, for the real goods regarding St. Martin, (from the inimitable resource, Liturgical Year, by Dom Prosper Gueranger, O.S.B), we have the following:

St. Martin’s mission was to complete the destruction of paganism, which had been driven from the towns by the martyrs but remained up to his time master of vast territories removed from the influence of the cities. All of Gaul heard from him. St. Martin of Tours preaches the word of God throughout Gaul.

In all its provinces he overthrew the idols one after another, reduced the statues to powder, burnt or demolished all the temples, destroyed the sacred groves and all the haunts of idolatry. Martin, consumed with zeal for the House of God, was obeying none but the Spirit of God.

Against the fury of the pagan population Martin’s only arms were the miracles he wrought, the visible assistance of the Angels sometimes granted to him, and, above all the prayers and tears he poured out before God, when the hard-heartedness of the people resisted the means by which Martin changed the face of the country.

Where he found scarcely a Christian on his arrival, he left scarcely an infidel at his departure. The temples of the idols were immediately replaced by temples of the true God. For, says Sulpicius Severus, as soon as he had destroyed the houses of superstition, he built churches and monasteries. It is thus that all Europe is covered with sanctuaries bearing the name of St. Martin."

Other Facts Regarding St. Martin
* St. Martin of Tours is the patron saint against poverty and alcoholism; he is the patron of: beggars; the cavalry; Church Lads' and Church Girls' Brigade; TV Commercials; France; geese; horses; hotel-keepers; innkeepers; the Pontifical Swiss Guards; quartermasters; reformed alcoholics; riders; soldiers; tailors; wine growers; wine makers.

* During the Middle Ages, St. Martin’s cloak, (cappa Sancti Martini), was preserved at the Marmoutier Abbey, near to Tours, one of the most sacred relics of the French kings, would be carried everywhere the king went, even into battle, as a holy relic upon which oaths were sworn.

* A highly popular site of pilgrimage during the Middle Ages, St. Martin's tomb and the basilicas which enclosed it over the years were raided in turn by the Vikings in 996, the Huegenots in 1562, and the anarchists of the French Revolution in 1802. From amidst the rubble left by the French revolutionists, however, the tomb of St. Martin was finally rediscovered in 1860, and the veneration of the site and popular devotion to St. Martin was renewed.

* From the 4th century through the late Middle Ages, the feast of St. Martin began the forty day period of fasting previous to the feast of Christmas. As with its parallel fasting tide, Lent, the eve of St. Martin, was in former days, a day of feasting and revelry. The period of preparation before Christmas was shortened from the forty days of Martinmas to our modern-day Advent time period of four Sundays by Pope Gregory VII in the eleventh century.

Celebrating the Feast!

* In Flanders and in some parts of the Netherlands, it's traditional for children to process around their villages bearing paper lanters in honor of St. Martin. A man on horseback, dressed as the saint, often leads the procession.

    ~ Ideas for the simplest and easiest paper lantern can be found here.
    ~ Patterns for beautiful, intricate Paper Lanterns can be found here and here and here.
    ~ Cathy's tin can lantern (a safe alternative for a real candle) can be found here.
    ~ An awesome balloon lantern tutorial (and other great Martinmas ideas) can be found here.
    ~ A tutorial on a beautiful felt lantern swag can be found here.

* In Portugal, Catholics gather into little parties called "Magustas," where they roast chestnuts around festive campfires.

    ~ The facts on roasting chestnuts on your own open fire can be found here.

* It's in Portugal, as well, that "St. Martin's Summers" ("Verão de São Martinho") recall a certain legend of St. Martin's cloak. In this addendum to the popular story, it seems that after giving the first half of his cloak to one beggar, St. Martin donated the second half to another beggar. Then, instead of suffering the freezing weather, through a heavenly intervention, the dark clouds cleared away and the sun shone so intensely that the frost melted. The phenomena of a sunny break to cold weather on Saint Martin's Day is now called a "St. Martin Summer."

    ~ Here's hoping for a St. Martin's Summer to celebrate the day!

* But, even if it's cold outside, we can celebrate with good things to eat! In Poland the feast is celebrated with sweet crescent rolls called rogal świętomarciński:

     ~ An easy recipe for St. Martin's Crescents can be found here.
    ~ And Catholic Cuisine has scads more recipes and ideas for celebrating Martimas gastronomically!

* Common practices of the day include remembering St. Martin's charity by donating to the needy in his honor on this day. Bringing coats or blankets to homeless shelters are particularly appropriate works of mercy! Also, many families take this opportunity to present the children with gifts of new scarves and mittens.

*  And, of course we have to have coloring pages:

Or best yet... Especially since the above engravings are both a bit fuzzy, run over and grab a beautiful coloring page from Charlotte!

Martinmas Lanterns

2011-11-08T11:50:00.001-08:00

A How-To by Cathy

You will need:

clean tin can without the lid

votive candle

hammer and large nail or small phillips head screw-driver

small plastic cup (that fits inside the can)

18 gauge wire

wire snips

hot glue gun "optional"

beads "optional"

Instructions:

1. Fit small plastic cup into a can, draw dots for any design desired

2. Punch holes onto the can using hammer and nail or screwdriver. Make sure to punch two holes at opposite sides of the top of the can for the handle.

3. Cut wire about 1ft long.

              4. Put wire through closest hole, then string beads on  wire.

   5. Put the other side of the wire through the other side of the can.

6. You will nead a hot glue gun if you want to glue on any other beads to decorate the sides.

7. Be careful if you do glue anything on to your lamp. The glue comes out hot!

8. After gluing on everything you think your lamp needs, put the candle in and carefully light it. (Or have your Mom or Dad light it...)

Now you have made your very own lamp for the Feast of St. Martin!

Picture Puzzle Day

2011-11-08T09:00:00.000-08:00

The autumn tablescape from our B&B in Gettysburg last month.
See below for this image in a puzzle and be sure and run over to Cathy's at A Bit of the Blarney for more picture puzzles!

Makes My Monday

2011-11-06T17:30:00.000-08:00

Brotherly Love.

William and Gabe November, 2011 (5 and 7 years old)

Their biggest brothers, Kevin and Paul, app. twenty years ago.
(About 2 and 4 years old)

Paul and Kevin now (or last Christmas, anyway)
23 and 21 years old now

Don't blink. They grow up so fast!

See Cheryl for lots of Makes My Monday posts!

Make No Mistake...

2011-11-06T09:54:00.000-08:00

He's everywhere.

Check out this fresco in the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi.

Can you see him?

There now. Can you spot him in this close-up shot? The artist, Giotto di Bondone, an Italian painter of the Middle Ages, hid a profile of the devil in this painting, and now, over eight hundred years later, it's only just been noticed. We may never know what Giotto's real motive was in hiding Beelzebub there in the clouds, but it serves as a good reminder to us, regardless, to look out for the devil's "wickedness and snares" everywhere we might be. Heaven knows, the Prince of Lies would rather we didn't notice him!

Clouds I've Been Collecting

2011-11-03T17:04:00.000-07:00

Click here for a bazillion eyes on the sky.

Here, there and everywhere...

On the way to Silverton, CO, via the Million Dollar Hwy, Sept, '11

On one of the bridges on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, Oct. '11

Looking over the trees at Ironton Ghost Town, Sept., '11

Looking toward the Adobes that ring the Black Canyon in the Uncompahgre Valley, CO, Aug., '11

Overcast skies at the Gettysburg Nat'l Cemetery, Oct., '11

Somewhere along the Million Dollar Hwy, San Juan Mtn Range, CO, Sept., '11

At the peak of McClure Pass, between Paonia and Carbondale, CO., Aug., '11

Full moon through the trees in Gettysburg, PA., Oct.,'11

Red Mountain Pass on the may to Silverton, CO., Sept., '11

Clouds from the topside, taken out the airplane window somewhere over Kansas, Oct., '11

Give a Kid a Stick...

2011-11-02T17:32:00.000-07:00

And He'll Make a Rotisserie!

The Feast of All Souls

2011-11-02T07:23:00.000-07:00

We have a very special opportunity every first of November. This is the time of year we can be heroes to the Souls in Purgatory! They, in turn, will pray for us here in the Church Militant. There is no greater service we can do for a fellow human being. And we can benefit, too!

To receive a plenary indulgence for the souls in Purgatory: While visiting a cemetery during the Octave of the Feast of the Holy Souls, after a pious Confession and Holy Communion, pray for the intentions of the Church, and offer prayers (silently or out loud) for the dearly departed. A traditional prayer for this occasion is the beautiful de Profundis. Some pray six Our Fathers, six Hail Marys and six Glory Be s. There is not a set of prescribed prayers for the dead that is necessary, so it's really up to you. You may gain this plenary indulgence once each day during this octave!

And you may send some souls to Heaven!

For some Catholic customs of the day go here.

*Woops. If you happened by early Tuesday, you may have noticed an anouncement stating that All Souls Day was actually on the 3rd this year... Um, well... It's not. In a bit of a hurry this morning before running out to the Masses, I quickly re-posted an old All Souls Day write-up -- one from 2008 -- a year in which that actually was the case. Sorry about that! I need to slow down and read before I hit that "publish" button sometimes!

On the Feast of All Saints!

2011-11-01T11:49:00.000-07:00

Can you identify the following saints?

1. "My saint is a native of Madrid, Spain. I was twelve years old when persecutions broke out. I went to the governor and yelled at him that he was destroying souls. When the officials gave me little cakes to offer to the pagan gods, I threw them on the ground at the base of the statues and stomped on them. My death was caused by fire; my executioners lit my hair on fire and I suffocated. My feast day is December 10th. I am the patron saint of run-aways and widows."

2. "I was married to King Henry of Germany and I had five children. I was married to my husband for twenty years and was a very pious wife and mother. After my husband died, I founded many churches and monastaries. One of my sons was St. Bruno, one was Holy Roman Emperor Otto. I died on March 14th, 986, which is also my feast day. I am the patron saint of Misbehaving Children. Who am I?"

3. "I am an English saint. I had three sisters who were all saints and my grandmother was an Abbess. I was married to one king for three years and a second king for twenty years. I had his permission to become a nun and later became an Abbess, founding a monastary at Eli. I died in 679. My feast day is June 23rd. I am the patron saint of throat ailments. Who am I?"

4. "I was born in Italy in the 1500s. My first words were "Jesus" and "Mary." I became a Jesuit; I died when I was only twenty-three years old. My feast day is June 21st. I am the patron saint of altar boys. Who am I?"

5. "I'm from.... I'm from... Where am I from? Oh, yeah. I'm from France! And I'm a soldier. One day... I split my cloak in half and gave some of it to a poor man. And then... And then..." (What happened next, William?) "Oh, yeah! Then, that night... Jesus arose to me and said: 'That was me you gave the cloak to.' Who am I?"

Happy Eve of All Saints!

2011-10-31T06:41:00.000-07:00

If you really want to know what I think of Halloween, grab a cup of coffee, and come visit with me over here.