July is here. And in full swing. Though this hasn’t been a particularly busy summer thus far. In some ways, it’s going a little too slow. Waiting for our house to be built. Not really having our own yard to play in. The challenges are not impossible. But they are limiting. We are making the most of our days, though. Trying to venture out as much as we can. As much as is realistic for this pregnant mama with five…
Each spring, my daughters’ school ends the year with a traditional May Crowning. An honoring of Our Lady. Pledging to her that they will keep up with their daily prayers, attend Mass as often as possible, and dress modestly because it’s the right thing to do but also in reparation for those who do not during these warm summer months. Waiting for my big sisters to process into church. Can I last the entire May Crowning this year? Nope. I…
At our Week 3 Garden Party, I was explaining what all of the various menu items symbolized. When I got to the ice, I said that it represented hail. My preschooler then exclaims, “Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope!” She’s awfully quiet during our family Rosaries, but I guess she really is absorbing a lot! *** (a self-portrait) *** On the way home from school one day this week, my older girls started…
All I can see is that it has been quite a week … A week of taking care of sick children. Actually, one child or another has been sick for the past two weeks. From strep throat to a stomach bug. Not fun. Especially for my birthday girl, who turned six on Tuesday. She got the stomach bug the night before. Sick on her birthday, poor dear! We postponed celebrating … and then she had a relapse last night. Ugh….
On Holy Saturday, we colored Easter eggs. We simply used a traditional egg-dying kit. My preschooler wanted to use the white, wax crayon to add drawings and messages. Since she cannot write much more than her name, she asked me to write out a very special message … Of course, I agreed … She dictated to me: “I love Natalie. From Lucia.” Natalie is one of our old neighbors. She, one of her brothers and Lucia were (are!) good pals….
Christ be with me, be after me, be before me, and be at my right and left hand. May everything I do be for Christ. Today’s simple plans include making Shamrock Shakes (H/T: Sarah at Amongst Lovely Things ~ one part mint chocolate chip ice cream and one part milk), reading a bit about St. Patrick, and coloring this lovely page (H/T: Charlotte at Waltzing Matilda for sharing it first). Here’s hoping you have a very happy and holy St….
A little over a year ago, we had some friends over for dinner. Among our dinner conversation topics was that of their girls’ involvement with Irish dance. I had seen Riverdance (who hasn’t?), and I was looking for some sort of dance instruction for my oldest. So, I was very curious to learn more. “But we’re not Irish,” I told my friend. And she laughed. Of course you don’t have to be Irish to participate in Irish dance, but for…
Somehow a theme emerged from various Christmas presents received by our family: Christmas at Plum Creek. It actually started this summer when my preschooler received a bonnet for her birthday from my SIL’s family, after they took a trip to Walnut Grove. Then, my oldest got a bonnet for her birthday in November. This was right around the time we started reading-aloud Little House in the Big Woods. We put season #1 of the TV series on our Christmas wish…
My second oldest daughter—my five-year-old, my kinder-girl—lost her very first tooth at Mass on Gaudete Sunday. (Another cause for joy that day!) I wasn’t there for the event, because I had attended Mass earlier. (We currently “do the split shift,” as my husband calls it, because going to Mass with two-year-old twins is, well, too crazy.) But when she came home and showed me her new smile, she. was. beaming. She told me that it just fell out. And she…
I am ever so thankful for so many blessings … Here are just a few: + a wonderful, long-overdue date with my husband to celebrate our eighth anniversary. We went to a concert and then to Mass at a little French church in the city. Afterward, we ate dinner at a new Asian restaurant. We had drinks, appetizers, dinner, dessert—the works! It was so much fun! + my husband, who is the sensible one around here. He’s always helping me…