Mission to Love

It's a great day to begin watching this wonderful movie
and begin praying the Novena for Purification.
(see my sidebar) 

7 Quick Takes from my week

This last week flew by!  Snuggle Bug's been telling me, "Mama, you need to post!"  So here are a few things we've been keeping busy with since my last post.

1. The snow and ice hung out longer than I can ever remember it doing so.  Being a southern girl, I enjoy it for a day and that's about it!
2. My hubby asked me out for a date last Friday night.   How fun that was!!!  I wish we could do that every Friday night!  
3. Saturday was spent organizing our new master grocery list.  This is one of the time saving tips suggested in Homeschooling with a meek and quiet spirit  which we are reading in our book group.  My honey also put together a new bookcase for "my books" to go in our bedroom.  You can never have too many books! 
4. Sunday we began studying T3 - The Teen Timeline, Thy Kingdom Come, the Gospel of Matthew from Ascension Press, in our PSR class.  My honey and I are really enjoying sharing our faith with these wonderful 7th graders!
5. Monday my honey helped me organize Buck's room.  Boy, he sure is different than the girls!  We labeled bins and made a place for everything.  Now if we can only keep everything in it's place!!!
6. Tuesday, we went and painted for my mom.  The kids all helped and we got 'er done!  She had new carpet put in on Wednesday.  I can't wait to go and see! 
7. I've also been working on finishing up our 2nd Qtr. Progress Reports and making a plan for 3rd Qtr.  I ordered this horse study for Snuggle Bug yesterday.  The House Cat continues to write and has been published in the new Homeschool Literary Quarterly.  Buck is a Star Wars junkie and Honeybee... well, she's still sweet as sugar when she wants to be.  But, look out for her sting when she's tired!  :)  I'd say we had a pretty normal week around here ~ Staying Busy With our Blessings~

God Bless you all and visit Conversion Diary for more quick takes.

Wordless Wednesday ~ Icy Leaves in the South!

Visit WW for more wordless fun!

7 Quick Takes towards living in Ordinary Time

It's that time again...ordinary time.  One may be inclined too think this is a just a drab, numbered time.  Oh, but it is so much more!  The church in her wisdom knows what we need.  We need continual growth ~ Spiritual Growth!  So now we begin this time of "growing".

I've been extremely blessed by the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd training I've had.  I learned sooooo much during the classes!  One lesson we share with the children is on the liturgical colors of the church year.  This lesson shares with the children the colors of the liturgical year and the significance of each..  Ordinary time is called "the growing time" and is green.  Of course this is the time where we all take steps to grow closer to Our Lord during this ordinary or non-feast time in our year.

Last night at the supper table I posed the question, "Let's all think of a way we can grow closer to God during this "growing time." 

Here are our 7 quick takes on growing loser to God during this "Ordinary Time."

1. Exercise temperance through diet and exercise. (Dad)
2. Keep your hands to yourself.  (Honeybee)
3. Family prayer time after supper BEFORE the TV is turned on. (Snuggle Bug)
4. No name calling. (Buck)
5. Consistent bed time for all so that mom and dad can have time together.  (House Cat)  8:30 for Buck and Honeybee and 9:00 for House Cat and Snuggle Bug.  The older two can read in bed till 9:30.
6. More couple prayer time.(The Magnificat, Daily Prayer for our Children)   Just mom and dad - praying for our marriage and our children.  Try to do this after dad's home for work before supper.(Mom)
7. Make time for weekly adoration.

Dear Lord, please strengthen our family.  Help us to grow closer to you during this ordinary time.  Help us to loving serve you by serving one another cheerfully.  Protect us from the wickedness and snares of the devil!  We pray for our children's vocations.  Please help us to lead them to love You more than anything else in this world.  Amen.

visit Conversion Diary for more quick takes

Our Centerpiece on the Feast of the Lord's Baptism

Tonight we used some of the shell candles we made last year to decorate the table.  Buck and Honeybee also placed some sea shells about that we collected at the beach one year.  I knew I'd use those one day ! :)  It was a simple, quick and beautiful centerpiece!

Epiphany ~ 2011

The Magi arrived

Gifts were given

The House was Blessed 

A great way to begin the new year!

Poor Man's Dip

I was thinking of how many people make black-eyed peas for prosperity on New Year's Day.  We normally eat them too, with cabbage and cornbread.  I think the tradition is for health, wealth, and happiness or something like that.  Tomorrow we will share the same with Mama.  We will take along this Poor Man's Dip with us when we go.  I think it will be a perfect addition for our New Years gathering.  It's so simple to put
together ~

1 small bell pepper, chopped

1/2 small purple onion, chopped

2 can's black eyed peas (drained)

1 can shoe peg corn

8 oz bottle of Italian dressing

Mix all together and chill overnight.  Serve with Frito Scoops.

This is really the perfect dish for tomorrow.  May we all be poor in spirit, as the first beatitude states, remembering we can do nothing without God.  A Blessed New Year to You All!

Christmas with Mama ~ 2010

Mama added a new tree to the house this year.  She said, "Daddy always wanted a tree with blue lights."  She covered it with silver angels and other "heavenly" ornaments.
I bought and wrapped the peace ornament "for daddy's tree."  I think this might just become a new tradition for us. 

We bought this ornament for him last year at the Christmas tree farm. It looks beautiful on his tree.

She also added this beautiful, sparkly hummingbird.  They have so many hummingbirds there in the summer.  Daddy told her whenever she was sad and saw a hummingbird come to the window it would be him telling her everything was going to be ok.  A day or so after his death she was about to leave my house when a hummingbird flew to our front window and fluttered for a few seconds.  I asked her if she saw that.  I had never had that happen here before.  She then shared with me what he had told her.  

We had a nice visit with mama and she was very generous in her gift giving.  Just like daddy was  :) It's still hard for me to comprehend that he is not here anymore.  My heart aches but, the prayer "Jesus, I Trust in You" is the best medicine for my soul.

  I came across this poem today.  Mama, if you read this I hope it comforts you, too.

Christmas in Heaven

'Tis Christmas in Heaven

What a beautiful sight!

It's my first one here;

Everything is all right.

The crib is adorned

With the brilliance of stars,

Wise men have come

From Venus and Mars.

I've met all our dear ones

Who preceded us here;

The reunion was lovely,

An event full of cheer.

And tonight we'll all gather,

In reverence we'll kneel,

For the Babe in the cradle

Up in Heaven is Real.

I think of my family

that I left behind

And I pray that your Christmas

Is as blessed as mine

Please shed no more tears,

For my soul is at rest,

Just love one another;

Live life to its best.

Yes, It's Christmas In Heaven,

So I've heard them say,

Yet, Christmas In Heaven

Happens every day.

by Unknown.

So, what's your secret in

getting your kids to take the yucky stuff in the middle?  These are some of the things we tried last week.  Yep, Buck and Honeybee both had the flu :(  even with the flu shots???
Hope you are all staying well!

Christ Candle of Hope

Light the Christ Candle of Hope at the main Christmas dinner and during the 12 days of Christmas. Repeat the lighting of the Christ Candle and the Prayer each day.

The Christ Candle of Hope Prayer

God Our loving Father, you sent your Son, Jesus Christ into this world to conquer all the forces of evil: sin, suffering and death. He came to overcome evil with the power of good; hatred with the strength of love, your own great love for us in Jesus. Help us never to curse the darkness, but to join with you in bringing your light into this world, the light that is your Son, born of the Virgin Mary, in Bethlehem. Help us to be instruments of your light and love by doing one special act of kindness or being your special instrument of reconciliation this Christmas season. May the Christ Candle which we light symbolize our desire to bring light into a world of darkness and hope into a world of despair. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas

We have our first ever!



Christmas Blessings ~

to you and yours

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Novena ~ Day Nine

December 24th ~

O Divine Savior, O King of Immortal glory, Who in Your great mercy came into the world to redeem us and make us holy; grant that, denying all ungodliness and love of this world, we may live soberly in ourselves, justly toward our neighbor, and piously before You, so that we may be happy with You for all eternity.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be...

Sweet Jesus, be my love.

Christmas Novena ~ Day Eight

December 23rd ~

O Divine Savior, O King of peace, Who was pleased to make Your appearance among us when the world was in peace; graciously send us your peace and be born anew in our souls this Christmas.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be...

Sweet Jesus, be my love.

O' Antiphons Lapbook

Snuggle Bug and I enjoyed putting this lapbook together. The O' Antiphons are so interesting to research! I was so excited last year when I figured out that the beautiful hymn O Come, O Come, Emmanuel was actually the O' Antiphons being sung!
With the help of a pack of various sized and colored card stock, a printer, scissors and a glue stick, this lapbook was a cinch to assemble! We used a bright yellow gold file folder as our base crown, since these titles are often referred to as the seven jewels of our liturgy.

She used this list for her front flaps. 

Then our resident computer expert, The House Cat, saved these symbols in My Pictures folder on the computer, opened them with the Paint option, adjusted the sizes, and printed them.  Snuggle Bug mounted them on a piece of card stock with the corresponding date alongside. 

 We glued the top edge of this card to a larger card.

Then I printed out these scripture references.  We cut these in strips, divided by day, and folded them to where the outside edges met in the middle.  These were then glued under the top card and can be opened and read like this.

(Make sure you place these towards the bottom  so you can lift the top flap and read easily.)

I also printed and cut out the verse of O Come, O Come Emmanuel for each O' Antiphon and she glue those right below the cards. 

Each card looks like this when completed.  Look toward the end of the post to see how they are all arranged.

I'm sure this will be a well used lapbook for years to come!

Christmas Novena ~ Day Seven

December 22nd ~

O Divine Word, Who for the love of all of us, Your poor creatures, was pleased to be born under the most lowly stable roof, to be wrapped in swaddling clothing, and to be laid in a manger; grant that we may also renounce all wordly vanities, and embrace poverty of spirit and mortification of the flesh so necessary for our perfection.  Grant that we may be thoroughly detached from creatures and poor in all things except Thy love and Thy grace.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be...

Sweet Jesus, be my love.

Christmas Novena ~ Day Six

December 21st  ~

O Divine Infant, Who when excluded from Bethlehem, did inspire Your holy Mother to retire to a  poor and wretched stable, in which obscure and humble place it was Your will to be born, in order to confound our pride, and to teach us humility; grant that we may conform ourselves to Your will, renounce all pomp and pride, and become truly meek and humble of heart.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be...

Sweet Jesus, be my love.

Christmas Novena ~ Day Five

December 20th

O most adorable Jesus, Who upon thy arrival at Bethlehem was rejected by all men; grant us to follow Your example in sufferings and contempt, that we may welcome you joyfully in our hearts, when You seek an entrance there whether by holy inspirations or by Your divine sacraments.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be...

Sweet Jesus, be my love.

Christmas Novena ~ Day Four

December 19th

O Sweetest Jesus, Who went to Bethlehem in the womb of Mary to obey the commands of Caeser, who ordered all his subjects to be enrolled; grant us grace to obey with cheerful readiness the most difficult commands from those who hold place over us.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be...

Sweet Jesus, be my love.

Christmas Novena ~ Day Three

December 18th

O Infant God, Who from the moment of Your conception in Holy Mary's womb did offer Yourself to Your Eternal Father for the salvation of our souls, graciously help us to labor zealously for others  and work out our own salvation in fear and trembling, yet with confidence in Thy love.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be...

Sweet Jesus, be my love.

Christmas Novena ~ Day Two

December 17th

O merciful Redeemer, Who choose to remain in the chaste cloister of Mary's womb, hidden and unknown, even though You were the Eternal Word, and the wisdom of the Father; grant that we may learn from You to love solitude and silence, and escape the evils that are found in the distractions of this world; grant us greater purity of mind and heart; grant that we may glorify Thee, and that we may be uplifting to others by our purity and modesty.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be...

Sweet Jesus, Be my love.

Christmas Novena ~ Day One

December 16th

O God and Savior of  our souls, sweet Infant Jesus, Whom the angels and shepherds adored in the stable of Bethlehem on that holy night when you were born of the Virgin Mary, we offer Thee our profound adoration and our most earnest thanksgiving for having become man for our redemption and salvation; grant that we may apply all our powers to fulfill Thy gracious designs, that we may become perfectly renewed in heart and inflamed with Thy holy love.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be....

Sweet Jesus, be my love.

Our O'Antiphon Tree

Last year the kids made small O' Antiphon ornaments for a "very" mini Christmas tree we had.   I printed the images onto a piece of cardstock and they cut them out, colored them, and we taped the titles on the back.

The "O" Antiphons are the seven jewels of our liturgy, dating back to the fourth century, one for each day until Christmas Eve. These antiphons address Christ with seven magnificent Messianic titles, based on the Old Testament prophecies and types of Christ. The Church recalls the variety of the ills of man before the coming of the Redeemer.   (Taken from Catholic Culture)

 December 17th ~

O Sapientia ~Wisdom who came from the the mouth of the Most High, reaching from end to end and ordering all things mightily and sweetly, come to teach us the way of prudence!

December 18th ~

O Adonai, Lord and Ruler of the house of Israel, Who appeared to Moses in the flame of the burning bush and gave him the law n Sinai, come to redeem us with an outstretched arm!



December 19th ~

O Radix Jesse O Root of Jesse, that stands for an ensign of the people, before whom the kings keep silent, and whom the Gentiles shall seek, come to deliver us, do not tarry.

December 20th ~

O Clavis (Key of) David and scepter of the house of Israel, who opens and no man shuts, and shuts and no man opens, come to liberate the prisoner from his prison, and those that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death.

December 21st ~

O Oriens (Rising Dawn) of the east, brightness of the everlasting light, and Son of justice, come and enlighten those that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death!

December 22nd ~

O Rex Gentium, O King of the Gentiles and desired one, the corner-stone, that makes both one: come to save man, whom you made out of the dust of the earth!

December 23rd ~

O Emmanuel, God with us, our King and our Law-giver, Longing of the Gentiles and their Savior: come to save us, O Lord our God!