Praying for Grace

(2/27)...streaming

2012-02-27T17:50:00.003-05:00

I just returned from the dentist. I had three fillings replaced today. That's a special kind of torture in my opinion, "You have already had these three teeth drilled and filled, but we'll do it again just for fun."

And because the first shot didn't numb, I got two. Oh joy.

I am sipping a gin and tonic and sucking Cheez-its. Join me?

~~~~~~

My second baby turned twenty yesterday. How does that happen?

The funny thing is, his personality is very much likes it has been since he was a baby. One hundred percent of the time he's a bear. He's a contented teddy bear 98% of the time, but in that leftover 2% of the time, he's a grizzly.

~~~~~~~~

I caught up with last Sunday's Downton Abbey last night. I was very disappointed week before last that they took Lord Grantham in the direction they did. I felt it was completely unnecessary. Last week's installment improved, I felt. I am glad Mary's secret is out and she and Matthew have finally found each other. It only took a war and death from Spanish flu for that to happen. Just a little drama. Thomas ticks me off and I wish someone would out him. Of course, if he becomes the valet, something will happen, for sure.

I enjoyed immensely the "behind the scenes" last week. It was odd to see the characters with more makeup and hairdos off screen than on.

~~~~~~~

In between episodes of Downton, I have been getting more fill of British aristocracy. I watched The Bleak House based on Charles Dickens's short stories of the same name. It was a little dark, a la Dickens, but good characters, and if you, like me, liked Jillian Anderson from X-Files, you'll certainly enjoy it.

I also watched the first season of Cranford, with Judi Dench, and Jim Carter (Carson) from Downton. I am anxiously awaiting the second season, and I must say I enjoyed Cranford just as much as Downton, though in a different way. Less costume and scenery and more simple, real relationships. I really like Judi Dench and Simon Woods (Pride and Prejudice). I find it rather amusing that many of these British actors are seen repeatedly in British films. I guess it's no different than American films in which one sees Matt Damon and Tom Cruise repeatedly, but because they are playing characters in the same era, it seems funny.

~~~~~~

I suppose I have to go feed my family now, even though my mouth is still numb and I won't be able to eat for hours. Oh the injustice.

~~~~~~~

My quote for the day from Lessons Along the Journey:

"You will certainly carry out God's purpose, however you act, but it makes a difference to you whether you serve like Judas or like John." ~~ C.S. Lewis

4/40

2012-02-25T14:14:00.001-05:00

Not the date...I know. Fourth day of Lent. Just for the record.

It's a rather quiet weekend here. Faith's fever is gone. Thank you for your prayers. Just a lingering cough now. I am hopeful she will be healthy to travel next weekend.

I was looking around Amazon this week for some Lenten reading. Nothing looked good -- all same-old-same- old. I finally came across Richard Maffeo's Lessons Along the Journey and it's good Lenten reading. Not too deep but real. Good real life situations in which the author shows how God works through us and with us. For some reason I am attracted to Jewish turned Catholic stories, like St. Teresea Benedicta, and Sister Rosalind Moss. It's not a long book, but something good to pick up every day, at least for a week or so. I got it for .99 on my Kindle -- certainly well worth the money.

Reading yesterday, I came across this story about one of my favorite spiritual songs, and I wanted to share. The author shared it himself on his blog, so I am not giving anything away for free. ;-) It's a very moving story of incredible faith in God.

~~~~~~

"Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on him while he is near (Isaiah 55:6).

Smoke swirled through the streets of Jerusalem. A woman shrieked as the Babylonian soldier pulled the blood-soaked sword from a man’s belly, and then thrust it into hers. Soldiers ripped babies from their mothers’ arms and flung them against stone walls. Devastation swallowed Jerusalem as Nebuchadnezzar’s army ravaged the city.

With grief clutching his throat, Jeremiah wrote what some might call lunacy: “The favors of the Lord are not exhausted, His mercies are not spent; they are renewed each morning, so great is His faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23).

Anyone looking over Jeremiah's shoulder as he wrote would have screamed, “Are you mad? Look around you, Jeremiah! Blood covers our streets. Children lie dead with their parents, and you talk about God’s mercies?”

It would have been a reasonable accusation.

But was the Jeremiah mad, or did he have something that I – and perhaps you – need?

Horatio Spafford could answer that question. His faith in God persevered despite the tragedies that ripped into his soul. Early in 1871, he lost his only son to illness. Four months later, the Great Chicago Fire destroyed his business. Two years later, his wife, and daughters booked passage on a ship bound for England. During the voyage, the vessel collided with another ship and sank. Spafford’s daughters were among those drowned.

Spafford immediately booked passage for England to join his grieving wife. When the ship reached the vicinity of the accident, he stood on the deck and wrote a hymn Christians around the world still sing. You might recognize some of the lyrics: When peace, like a river, attendeth my way/when sorrows like sea billows roll/ whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say/‘It is well, it is well with my soul.’

Perseverance. Confidence in God. Devotion to our King despite tragedy. Mature men and women of God understand there are no shortcuts to the kind of spiritual strength that keep us faithful despite personal heartache. For that reason the Church teaches us such perseverance blossoms only through the grace of God as we seek Christ each day in the pages of Holy Scripture, listening for His voice in attentive prayer, worship, and -- if you are a Catholic -- regularly meeting Him at Mass and in the Sacraments. It is not an either-or thing. It is a combination of each, a combination which gave spiritual strength, for example, to St. Terese of Lisieux who wrote just before she died at the young age of 24: “Everything is a grace. Everything is the direct effect of our Father's love - difficulties, contradictions, humiliations, all the soul's miseries, her burdens, her needs - everything. Because through them she learns humility, realizes her weakness. Everything is a grace because everything is God's gift. Whatever be the character of life or its unexpected events, to the heart that loves, all is well.”

That’s the kind of relationship we all need with God. And that’s the relationship God wants with us.

Isn't it only prudent that we learn to seek God now, and not when life is crumbling?"

~~~~~~

This song always makes me cry, but in a really good way.

Journey or destination?

2012-02-23T10:18:00.002-05:00

Behold, I am doing a new thing;
now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
and rivers in the desert. Is 43:19

I often hear people use the word "journey" to describe life. Frankly, I dislike that word a lot because I think it is highly over-used. If life is a journey, then we are constantly seeking something, going somewhere. Or are we? Is a journey the trip or seeking the destination? Glass half full or half empty? I suppose it's all in how you look at it. Frankly, thinking of life as a journey makes me tired -- I want to rest a bit, if you don't mind.

But, if you think of Lent as a journey, it means we start at one place and end at another. I hope that I am not in the same place at the end of Lent, which means I guess I am on a journey.

As Sara said today, yesterday was rough, but not in the ways I thought it would be. Isn't that the way it always is? In a comment here recently, Jennie said she didn't have any plans for sacrificing in Lent because God always finds the "best" way for her to sacrifice (and when I say "best" I really mean His best not her best). He does that, doesn't he?

Yesterday I had a rather quiet day, which means I really wasn't all that hungry. I am prone to feeling rather yucky on Ash Wednesday because of low blood sugar, but because I didn't really do anything, I didn't really feel hungry. In fact, I haven't eaten yet today.

I sacrificed in other ways. Faith is sick, really sick. She's had fever for three days and an awful cough. It makes my head hurt when she coughs, so I can't imagine how she feels. She saw the doctor last week when she had croup, so he called in a fast-acting antibiotic yesterday. I imagine she has sinus infection, bronchitis or, possibly, pneumonia. She happens to have an appointment tomorrow for a well visit, which is why he called in the prescription instead of asking to see her. Today is the second dose, and I am hopeful that coughing will subside some. She (and I) slept some last night, but not a lot.

But because Faith is sick, we didn't get ashes, and I missed that. It hardly seemed like Ash Wednesday without them.

Doug came home from work and he had really dark ashes. He said he stopped for a hair cut after work and the barber said "What the heck is that on your forehead?" Doug replied, "It's Ash Wednesday. Are you going to say something smart (meaning stupid)?" And the barber muttered, "Um, no." Normally Doug wouldn't say anything in case he would hurt someone's feelings, so I'm glad he said something. People think they can say anything to poke at your beliefs.

I was proud of the boys yesterday. No one complained about fasting, or scrambled eggs for dinner. I even heard Noah up at about 11:45 having a glass of milk. He certainly could have waited 15 minutes and had a snack, but he didn't. That may seem like nothing, but this is Noah -- he's 6'1" and 200 pounds and he doesn't like being hungry. Joshua volunteered that he gave up eating after midnight, which is something for him, considering the late night snacking that's been going on here. And Noah gave up, um, using bad words. Ahem. I don't know what to say about that. I mean that's good, right? But he should never be using bad words, and that's what I told him.

I bought a 50 pound bag of sand to create a candle centerpiece for Lent (because apparently play sand doesn't come in lesser quantities). Besides wanting to avoid another table fire, I like the symbolism of the sand during Lent -- 40 days in the desert? I had a large, round, shallow glass bowl I wanted to fill and so I took it out to the garage and filled it. But apparently the sand was too heavy for the bowl because when I picked up it cracked apart and I cut my hand in a couple places, one of which is right in the center of my palm. I ended up with the two square containers in the photo above, and a little cut to remember the first day of Lent by.

"The observance of Lent is the very badge of Christian warfare. By it we prove ourselves not to be enemies of the cross of Christ. By it we avert the scourges of divine justice. By it we gain strength against the princes of darkness, for it shields us with heavenly help. Should mankind grow remiss in their observance of Lent, it would be a detriment to God’s glory, a disgrace to the Catholic religion, and a danger to Christian souls. Neither can it be doubted that such negligence would become the source of misery to the world, of public calamity, and of private woe.” – Pope Benedict XIV

Lenten Chain

2012-02-21T12:36:00.004-05:00

I used this exercise at Domestic Church to make a Jesse Tree of sorts (without the tree) into a Lenten paper chain. (download). The paper chain is made from strips of paper with each Day of Lent printed on it (at the bottom of the document -- just print the entire document and cut those days at the bottom into strips and create a paper chain).

Each day a child opens the day's link and reads the corresponding scripture verse which will take them from creation to crucifixion (I used the RSV bible). If you want to have the children draw the image that goes with the verse, go to the Domestic Church page and see each day's image. I had to make a few modifications because there were a couple of days missing the scripture verse, but all the images are there (I think).

I printed mine on plain old white paper because I didn't want to use costly paper to rip up every day. But if you have colored copy paper, go for it. Purple would be nice. I hung mine in the front hall with some fancy-pants-sticky-gunk.

If you have any questions, just leave me a comment.

drat! drat! double drat! triple drat!

2012-02-20T23:49:00.001-05:00

I have left comments at more than half a dozen blogs today and they have just disappeared, leaving me with the distinct feeling that I am talking to myself.

I don't even know what to say. Humph.

Daybook...looking toward Ash Wednesday

2012-02-20T12:25:00.002-05:00

Outside my window...

...a cool, clear day. Not exactly cold, certainly not as cold as it could be in Ohio in February. Not so cold as to keep Faith indoors, she's been out skating all morning. Nine years ago, her first birthday fell on President's Day and we had about a foot of snow.

I am thinking...

...about Lent and some big changes for me. I am not going to go dark, but I have decided to drastically decrease my internet usage and blogging in general. I will attempt to keep blogging limited to Lenten posts (of course, that means I will think of 60 great posts to write during Lent, you know), and cut back on reading as well. My plan is to do something practical -- knitting, rosary making, laundry -- when I have the desire to blog. Of course, I often plop down with my Kindle to read blogs when I am tired, so I am not sure how practical that is. But I can always plop down with some inspirational reading, or knit while I pray the rosary, the Seven Sorrows chaplet, or listen to the audio bible.

I am thankful for....

...friends, in real life and online, especially this past weekend

...my husband's job and insurance

...happy family

...good priests

...hot, black coffee (always)

From the lesson plans...

...off school today because the school kid is home

...more of the timer, it seems to be the only motivator for my procrastinator -- still -- always?

... Jennie's Young Writing Club
though she says this week's prompt is too hard ;-)

From the kitchen...

...leftover frozen pork and gravy for dinner -- not exciting -- but Lincoln Log for dessert

I am wearing...

...Khaki trousers, a French blue turtleneck, brown clogs and "chains"

I am creating...

...a blue, green and brown quilt -- cute colors (almost finished!)

casting on some leg warmers for Faith's birthday (ripping out one leg warmer because my daughter's leg is way skinnier than I thought and they were supposed to be a surprise so I never checked)

...a pretty opal and aqua green, and bronze Seven Sorrows chaplet for my Etsy shop

I am planning...

...to post printable bible verses for children to create a paper chain of sorts for Lent, based on this activity at Domestic-Church.com; hoping to get it finished today, but there are a lot of bible verses there. I plan to make a paper chain for Faith to read and study one verse each day.

I am reading...

...What Would Jesus Eat? Interesting pre-Lent reading which I hope to use as a guide of sorts for Lenten eating

I am hoping...

...to get all the laundry carried downstairs, washed, dried, folded, carried upstairs and put away. It's a Monday sort of thing.

I am hearing...

...the space heater behind me. I can't get warm even though it's not very cold out. I go from cold to super hot, and I think it might be all hormonal.

Around the house...

...just staying on top of clutter and dust

...gearing up for some major Lent cleaning and organizing (and removing)

I am going...

...nowhere today, but I am still planning a trip for a couple weeks from now

I am praying for...

...my children, and my husband.

...two soldiers just deployed, both to Afghanistan

...our priests and all religious

...all of the babies whose mothers are contemplating abortion this week

For the rest of the week...

...school and home -- my vocation

...planning for Joshua's birthday on Sunday

Thought for the day...

St. John Chrystostom (the rest of the article is here) -- Fasting is the change of every part of our life, because the sacrifice of the fast is not the abstinence but the distancing from sins. Therefore, whoever limits the fast to the deprivation of food, he is the one who, in reality, abhors and ridicules the fast. Are you fasting? Show me your fast with your works. Which works? If you see someone who is poor, show him mercy. If you see an enemy, reconcile with him. If you see a friend who is becoming successful, do not be jealous of him! If you see a beautiful woman on the street, pass her by.
In other words, not only should the mouth fast, but the eyes and the legs and the arms and all the other parts of the body should fast as well. Let the hands fast, remaining clean from stealing and greediness. Let the legs fast, avoiding roads which lead to sinful sights. Let the eyes fast by not fixing themselves on beautiful faces and by not observing the beauty of others. You are not eating meat, are you? You should not eat debauchery with your eyes as well. Let your hearing also fast. The fast of hearing is not to accept bad talk against others and sly defamations.
Let the mouth fast from disgraceful and abusive words, because, what gain is there when, on the one hand we avoid eating chicken and fish and, on the other, we chew-up and consume our brothers? He who condemns and blasphemes is as if he has eaten brotherly meat, as if he has bitten into the flesh of his fellow man. It is because of this that Paul frightened us, saying: "If you chew up and consume one another be careful that you do not annihilate yourselves."
You did not thrust your teeth into the flesh (of your neighbor) but you thrusted bad talk in his soul; you wounded it by spreading disfame, causing unestimatable damage both to yourself, to him, and to many others.

Faith's Day...part III

2012-02-17T22:07:00.000-05:00

Parts I and II are below this post.

The birthday girl is in bed. She had a magical day and went to bed a happy, happy girl. Thank you again for all your birthday wishes. She loved and appreciated every single one. Our extended family is not so great at making birthdays special, so I am very grateful for friends who make the effort. I grew up celebrating my birthday with my younger brother, my father, and both grandmas. There were five birthdays in three days, and I have wonderful birthday memories because my extended family made us each feel special. Birthdays are the only day all year that belong to only you. They should be special.

After I frosted the cake, I made an "edible arrangement." My mom ordered one last year for Easter and it made a big impression on Faith. She requested one for her birthday dinner, along with fried chicken, mashed potatoes and green beans. At least she picked some fruit and veggies!

After dinner, Faith followed a series of hidden clues to find out what her gift was. I had told her a few weeks ago, when she asked about a birthday party, that she could choose between a party and a surprise gift. She is such a nosey girl, it just about killed her to not know, but I think she suspected the surprise was going to be pretty good.

It was Noah's idea to follow the clues and he helped me hide them. Each clue had a picture on it, some of the Chicago Hilton, Gino's pizza, Holy Name Cathedral, and pictures of inside the American Girl Place in Chicago. Of course she had no idea what any of them were until the last. Even then it took her a few minutes to understand her gift was a trip.

The last clue was under the cake plate.

In a couple weeks, weather permitting, my mom and Faith and I will drive six hours to Chicago, stay in a tall skyscraper hotel, walk the city streets, and visit the Anerican Girl Place. Faith has been very few places in her life, but she is very excited. It's the closest we can get to a Disney-esque experience, and I hope it comes close to a dream-come-true trip. We're only young once.

Faith's Day, part II

2012-02-17T15:58:00.000-05:00

Part I started here.

Thank you so very much for your kind birthday wishes. Each time I get a new comment, I share it with her and she says, "Awwww, that's soooo niiiice." She's such a girl. She's in heaven.

This morning we baked birthday cake. It's vanilla-flavored but it's colored pink. Of course it is.

Then we got dressed and she accessorized freely. I kept my mouth shut. There is a bow in the front and the back.

Faith asked me if we could go out to lunch and I said "yes." It's not a frequent occurrence and so when she asked to go to Red Robin I agreed.

After she finished her salad (after she ate five bites and then declared herself full) I let her play Angry Birds, or something, on my phone.

And just a few moments later the whole wait staff showed up with a sundae and sang Happy Birthday. Before we went in, she told me it was ok to tell them. She wasn't quite prepared for all the attention.

We came home and I decorated the cake and she rode her scooter around the cul de sac. She declared the cake to be perfect.

And now, it's time to fry chicken. See ya later.

Faith's Day

2012-02-17T10:01:00.003-05:00

Today my youngest child is 10. Big sigh.

That means that it has been 10 years since we had a newborn in the house. I know we all say this, but it really does seem like yesterday. How can 10 years fly like that?

I hadn't planned a post today, but as I was mixing up pancake batter I thought maybe I would share with you "Faith's Day."

For those of you, like me, who are older children among your siblings, I will tell you Faith is the epitome of the "spoiled" youngest child. My youngest child before Faith is 15. He goes to high school and Faith is at home all day. He's the third boy and she is the only girl. You get the picture. I would love to have spent the kind of today Faith will have with all of my children, but it just couldn't happen just exactly like this. C'est la vie.

Wakey wakey eggs and bakey, here she is all blurry eyed but happy that today is her birthday.

Buttermilk pancakes in the works.

Meanwhile, she opened a gift from her Godfather that came in the mail a couple days ago.

Breakfast served, and she is listening to When Will My Life Begin? on her iPod lamp/speaker.

More later, hopefully with clothes on and hair brushed. Now we're doing math.

(2/14)...streaming

2012-02-14T10:56:00.002-05:00

Happy Feast of St. Valentine! Love, love, love...

Last night I made cinnamon rolls for breakfast (though my leg with the nerve problem was burning like mad -- I wore my martyr's crown -- wink, wink) because nothing says love in my house like cinnamon rolls. Each child had a giant heart-shaped envelope filled with goodies and a "prize" this morning, and my beloved has some shoes (odd I know, but he loves shoes) and candy to open later. I have a dinner of steak and potatoes planned, and dessert. I'm all ready for the "love day."

And still I had that dream that I left for class (still in college in my dreams) and didn't know what room I was going to, and thought it possible it was a day of a test and I had not studied. What is it that I am unprepared for?

~~~~~

Maybe the inches of snow falling this morning? The view from my chair in the living room as I write:

~~~~~

We are in the midst of a busy, busy time here. I told you that we had two black-tie events last weekend (black ties/long dresses). The hospital foundation (my husband's employer) held their gala event (the doctor's prom we jokingly call it) on Saturday. It was fun despite my attitude (wink). We met Jim Tressel and his wife, Ellen, and talked for a while. For those of you who don't know that name, he is the former sweater vest-wearing head coach for the Ohio State football Buckeyes (who was thrown under the bus by his athletic director when the NCAA starting investigating some players' bad behavior.) Such a humble man. Yes, we only spoke for 10 or 15 minutes, but you know how there are people you can tell you can trust right off the bat? I know he was accused of being dishonest, and playing ineligible players, but I believe in getting both sides of the story before I judge a person and I don't know the story. Besides, I don't think football coaches should also be babysitters, and sadly, grown men of privilege often need babysitters to prevent them from misbehaving. Ok, that's a story for another day. Or not.

I like Jim Tressel. The end.

~~~~~

This Friday Faith turns 10 and next Saturday Joshua turns 20. How did that happen? I just closed my eyes for a minute, I promise.

~~~~~

Next week is Lent. Sigh.

I am looking forward to Lent this year. I feel like we need Lent more this year. It's a really good time for fasting and penance. I am trying to identify a good fasting diet. If you use one you can point me to, please do. I have to take care to avoid high acid foods, but I think I can probably modify any diet. I thought about trying the Trappist monks' Lenten diet but decided it might not be conducive to a good prayer life as well (or housekeeping, laundry and homeschooling).

Something like bread, nuts, honey and tea, with some fruit and vegetables thrown in for vitamins.

I don't intend to subject my family to the same fast, but Friday dinner will not be wild Alaskan salmon, if you know what I mean, unless we are talking salmon-from-a-can-patties, which my children hate.

~~~~~

And to end my post (this has been quite a negative post hasn't it, on this love, love, love day?) I will share with you that I have an awful case (case?) of arthritis in my tailbone. Isn't that an odd place to get arthritis? Oddly enough I had it in college (all that sitting and studying) and it stems, I believe, from a bad fall on the ice in high school, right on my you-know-what. After college and until now I have not experienced this unique kind of pain which prevents me from sitting for any period of time especially on a hard chair. So I apologize to the lovely lady with the little baby for whom I am making a quilt. I am hoping it will be finished before he is, say, three months old. I'm hoping.

~~~~~

Have a wonderful love-filled day my friends. Just kiss everyone you see to make sure you get enough love in. That old man in the pharmacy? Just walk right up and kiss him. I dare you.

I didn't forget...a winner

2012-02-12T20:55:00.004-05:00

The Aves on this chaplet are 6mm round rhodondite. If you believe in the power of stones (I don't but I do find the meaning some people find in stones to be interesting) you would know that the rhodondite is used to heal heartache and loss, help ease stress and for reflection. Our Blessed Mother would tell us that following her Holy Son is what heals heartache and loss and eases stress, and I would certainly agree. Praying this chaplet is a beautiful way to follow Jesus, by reflecting on the Seven Sorrows of Mary as they all pertain to the life of Christ Jesus.

The Paters are 8mm round light rose Swarovski crystals, capped with antique bronze caps. The beads are wire-wrapped in 22 gauge vintage bronze wire. The center is the Sorrowful heart of Mary and the medal is the Blessed Mother with the crucifixion depicted on the reverse side. The center and medal are set apart with 4 mm light rose Swarovski crystals.

I asked Our Blessed Mother to help me pick the person who needed this chaplet the most. And the winner is:

Happytalk

Congratulations and email me your address.

Everyone else stay tuned because I might spring another one on you during Lent.

The separation of Church and Catholics

2012-02-11T15:55:00.000-05:00

I know I said I would see you on the other side of the weekend, but the announcement made by you-know-who yesterday just needs to be written about, or my head shall explode.

The Obama Administration (Health and Human Services) announced yesterday that America's consciences are safe. If we don't want contraceptive, sterlization and abortafacient insurance coverage, we don't have to have it, and Catholic insurers won't have to pay for it. Funny thing is, if an employee wants the coverage, he or she can have it and it's free. It's free -- doesn't cost a thing to be manufactured or distributed. That president really is a magician after all -- he just made the cost disappear.

I'm not certain how any adult with half a brain can believe him. Let me get this right: it's free to me as the employee and my employer didn't pay for it? So when I go pick up by birth control pills/IUD/condoms/morning-after pill, or check into the hospital for my sterilization procedure there is no cost to any one or any corporation?

My family's insurance is provided through premiums we pay, and my husband's employer (a Catholic hospital) pays to an insurance company. Are we to believe that the insurance company is just going to foot the bill for all that "preventative care" out of the generosity of their hearts? That bill has to be paid by someone. It doesn't get "absorbed" or spread around. It is paid by a corporation, and all of their employees, Catholic or otherwise, and the bottom line is, Catholic institutions are going to have to pay, unless they keep fighting.

You-know-who has done nothing except convince us that we can be intellectually dishonest and no one will know about it. Go ahead -- violate your conscience, but we won't know and then you can save face.

I read this morning that Sister Carol Keehan, president of the Catholic Health Association is very pleased with the resolution. She actually believes that Catholics hospitals, schools, universities and charities can get away with not being responsible for any part of this mandate? She really believes it? I think she probably has more than half a brain, so my guess is Sister Carol is being intellectually dishonest with herself, and she thinks I should, too.

I heard on Fox news this afternoon that the only Catholics buying this resolution are those who have their doubts about the pope but have complete confidence in the infallibility of the federal government.

Sadly, that may be a good portion of the Catholics out there. They think as long as they pretend it isn't happening then it really isn't happening. Another example of you-know-who saying "I'm not really doing what you think I'm doing."

He has effectively split the Church right down the middle. There will be those who say "I'm not really doing it" and those who say "I know exactly what I'm doing." Being intellectually dishonest about it does nothing except bury one deeper in sin. The final judgement will separate the goats from the sheep, but those who are forced against their will to do something unjust, will also pay, unless they fight.

If Catholic institutions cave now, the fight for freedom in every respect is gone. Soon Catholic churches will have to perform gay marriage ceremonies, Catholic charities that assist in adoption will be forced to give children to gay couples, and Catholic hospitals will be openly performing abortions. It's not far ahead on the horizon.

So, my friend, don't be fooled by those who would fool you. Use your conscience, and it will tell you this is wrong.

The Young Writer's Club {week 1}

2012-02-10T11:54:00.001-05:00

Joining in with The Young Writer's Club at Far Beyond Pearls

Writer's prompt: Where would you most like to live and why?

by Faith

I would love to live by the ocean. You can always make sand castles and play in the water. And every morning you can look outside and the sunrise makes a reflection on the beautiful misty ocean water.

Editor's note: Faith was very excited at the prospect of this writer's club. I am hopeful that each week I might get a few more sentences out of her.

(2/10)...streaming

2012-02-10T11:46:00.000-05:00

I wanted to write yesterday for LMLD's {p,h,f,r} but I was fairly well trapped for most if the day without Internet capabilities. You know you are desperate if you find yourself sitting in the CVS drive-thru hoping like mad that they have free wifi (they didn't).

Then I thought I would do Seven Quick Takes but I am not feeling newsy enough for seven bits. So, here we are.

~~~~~

First off I want to remind you that tomorrow is the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, and thus the last day of the Seven Sorrow's chaplet giveaway. Here's a peek.

It's rose-colored, which is lovely for Our Blessed Mother.

~~~~~

My husband and I have two black tie events to attend this weekend. Can I just tell you that I would rather: a) take a beating, b) eat dirt, c) have surgery, than go to two formal events in one weekend. Actually for "c" I guess it would depend on the kind of surgery, but really, I hate, hate putting on uncomfortable shoes, and uncomfortable underclothes, and uncomfortable outer clothes, in addition to standing around being nice. Are you shocked? Sorry, but that's me. I hate to be uncomfortable, and though I don't hate to be "nice" (do you know the origin of the word "nice"? The Latin root word is nescius, which means 'ignorant', coming from nescire, 'not know') I'm not very good at chitchat with strangers. So.... if you happen to be attending either of the two events I have to attend, please come and snatch me away to the bar.

Here's a peek at tomorrow's shoes:

Don't let the flat heel fool you. They are still uncomfortable. My feet are two different sizes, so in order to keep one on, the other has to be uncomfortable. I currently have a wooden spoon jammed in the left shoe, but I'm not thinking sequins stretch much.

Of course, I'll wear pantyhose.

~~~~~

anglophile: : a person who greatly admires or favors England and things English

My son called me an anglophile the other day and I denied it. And then I realized that 98 percent of the movies/television programs I have watched in the last month have been about the English. I just finished the Emma Thompson/Kate Winslet Sense and Sensibility, and before that was Catherine's Cookson's The Rag Nymph, and before that The Way We Live Now, and before that Catherine Cookson's Colour Blind. In between has, of course, been Downton Abbey on DVR.

SO maybe I am an anglophile. Oh my. I may need an intervention.

~~~~~

Faith has reminded me that I did not yet post her contribution to this week's The Young Writer's Club. And so, I must go and do that little thing.

Ta ta for now. I'll see you on the other side of the weekend.

not funny, mom

2012-02-07T13:46:00.000-05:00

My Joshua is taking a criminal justice sociology class this quarter and this morning they were required to visit the county jail (fortunately in a neighboring rural county and not the county in which our big city sits). I just texted him and asked, "Are you out of jail yet?"

Oh man, I fervently pray I never say that for real.

daybook

2012-02-06T14:40:00.006-05:00

Outside my window...

...a cold, sunny day. Not a cloud in the sky. It's one of those days that deceives you into thinking it's springy. But I can still see the frost on the grass (I started this early and finished mid-afternoon).

I am thinking...

...about living one day at a time. I borrow trouble all the time, to use a phrase my mom used to use about worrying ahead of time -- about things that haven't happened yet. I am trying to worry less, which means not thinking ahead so much.

"Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Phil 4:6-7

I am thankful for....

...friends, in real life and online

...time to enjoy life

...happyfamily

...good priests

...hot, black coffee (always)

From the lesson plans...

...buckling down, though,so far, not a good start to the week

...more of the timer, it seems to be the only motivator for my procrastinator

...renewed interest in science and nature due to this fun "toy" (H/T/ to Jen at Wilflowers and Marbles) we got out a basket and Faith has filled it with leaves and pinecones and other fun things to examine

...possibly Jennie's Young Writing Club (I have to speak to my student)

From the kitchen...

...egg salad on rye for lunch, leftovers from last night's feast for dinner. We had enough food for 20 more people. Where were you? I made a chocolate cheesecake cheeseball I think we'll enjoy at tea time.

I am wearing...

...Khaki trousers, a brown turtleneck, brown clogs and "chains"

I am creating...

...a blue, green and brown quilt -- cute colors

casting on some leg warmers for Faith's birthday

I am reading...

...I haven't picked up a book in five days; there are too many busy things to do.

I am hoping...

...to get all the laundry carried downstairs, washed, dried, folded, carried upstairs and put away. It's a big job. Monday is always a bog laundry day, and I am glad I don't have to cook dinner.

...clean off the dining room table and the living room table. The dining room has been taken over by Noah's school books, and the living room table by rosary supplies. I need clean surfaces.

I am hearing...

...Faith drumming on the table while she reads science. She has a sitting still problem, as did all the boys. Sigh. Not a sitting-still-kinda-girl.

(and smelling Joshua's just-popped-popcorn)

Around the house...

...just staying on top of clutter and dust

...laundry catchup

I am going...

...to a knitting date with a girlfriend this evening

I am praying for...

...my children, and my husband.

...two soldiers just deployed, both to Afghanistan

...our priests and all religious

...all of the babies whose mothers are contemplating abortion this week

Plans for the rest of the week...

...school and home -- my vocation

...planning some Valentine's Day treats and surprises

...a birthday trip for my girl

A picture thought...

Swinging and swaying during English. She rarely sits. How can one child make such a mess?

Tummy virus survival kit

2012-02-05T21:29:00.002-05:00

For the last couple of winters (primary stomach bug season) it has been my intent to create one of these. Of course, intent doesn't get er done, and last weekend when my husband fell to a virus or food poisoning, I really felt the need for some of these supplies. Luckily he was the only one who fell and I had a chance this week to make up for my inadequacy. There is nothing like the whole family falling to a 24- or 48-hour bout of stomach virus to show you how poorly prepared you are for such an event, and hopefully just by putting together my survival kit, I'll have acquired a bit of insurance.

Unfortunately, Faith already used the kit last night and today, but I'm not sure if it was an authentic bug or her first migraine headache -- she had a really bad headache and then threw up a couple times. She was really ok today, I was just very cautious and made her eat blandly.

Your kit would be specific to your family's tastes, but a few suggestions are:

soda pop, especially coke (started out as a aid for stomach upset though I'm pretty sure is nothing like the original any more), sprite (which has sodium citrate -- an acid reducer), and ginger ale (with real ginger)

Gatorade or Pedialyte for young children

saltine crackers

canned peaches (maybe an old wive's tale that peach juice helps sick tummies -- one tablespoon at a time)

chicken bouillon

chicken noodle soup -- for when food stays down

cheese and peanut butter sandwich crackers, also for when food stays down as a transition to real food

anti-diarrhea medicine

I would also put tea bags in here, but we always have those in the pantry

I would also put lysol wipes and spray in here, but those are always under the sink

Misunderstood

2012-02-04T19:20:00.002-05:00

Come to find out that post yesterday sounded a bit whiny.

I only whine to my very closest friends and family so I guess you can consider yourself my nearest and dearest.

Just kidding. If I was truly offended you would never hear it here. Never. I was just poking you yesterday, but my tone was lost on the interwebs.

(It's been known to happen.)

I just thought I'd make that very clear. And I also wanted to ask you for prayers for a dear reader, "E", who lost her little boy in her 15th week of pregnancy just this week. And still, she was thoughtful enough to reach out to me in all my whininess. Don't I feel really awful? I do. But, mostly I want all my dear friends to pray for her because she has had a rough year, having lost her dad over the summer.

well...

2012-02-03T11:57:00.002-05:00

(That's a deep subject, I know. Ha ha ha)

...I don't know whether to be more offended that you didn't read yesterday's blog post or that you don't want Our Sorrowful Mother's chaplet. I would be more offended at the latter if I didn't actually believe it was the former. I usually get a good response when I post a giveaway, but I didn't title it as such, so I suppose that was a bit of a test.

{Not that I was testing you. Really}

Anyway...if you would like to enter the drawing for an Our Lady of Sorrows chaplet, leave your contact info in the comm box of the post below this one (not this one because I might forget it's here.)

~~~~~

On a completely unrelated note, did you see the most recent episode of Downton Abbey? (yes, I know it airs on Sunday, but I never see it "live.") Did your heart break when Matthew saw his mother? Oh my goodness, I tear up just thinking about it. It's a mother /son thing. What a beautiful moment that was. They did a good job with it. Do leave comments on this topic on this post. I'd love to know what you thought of it.

Candlemas

2012-02-02T16:02:00.002-05:00

CHAMPAIGNE, Philippe de
The Presentation of the Temple
1648

"Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And inspired by the Spirit he came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation which thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to thy people Israel."And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him; And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed." Luke 2:25-35

Today is the feast of the Presentation of Our Lord, also called Candlemas for it is the day we traditionally have the year's candles blessed, for the significance that Christ is the Light of the world.

"a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to thy people Israel"

On this day, when Jesus was presented at the temple for the first time, the Blessed Mother, according to Jewish law, presented herself for purification. Of course, Our Blessed Mother didn't need purification, neither on earth or for heaven. As in all things, she was obedient.

As Catholics, we believe we need purification to be united with God in heaven. The catechism states, "All who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven." CCC 1030

Many saints believe that pain on earth purifies us. St. John of the Cross said pain is in direct proportion to our need for purification. Whether that pain is on earth or in purgatory, is physical or mental, is as unique as is each soul. How divine that Our Blessed Mother, upon her purification at the temple, was told that her greatest joy, her son, would also be the cause of her greatest pain.

"you yourself a sword will pierce so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed"

If you are a mother, a parent, you know the pain you experience when your child is hurt, physically or emotionally. How many parents have said, "I would rather take this pain than watch my child suffer"? Our Blessed Mother knew that she would suffer, yet she was obedient to God in all things. She saw the pain that her son experienced and experienced it tenfold in her own heart.

We must mediate on the pain Our Blessed Mother experienced, the seven sorrows of Mary, and learn from them, learn obedience in all things, because through pain we are purified. By uniting our own pain and sorrow with the Blessed Mother, we unite ourselves more closely with Our Lord, and through the pain we become closer to attaining heaven. When we unite ourselves with Mary, we unite ourselves with Jesus because she leads us to Him.

In anticipation of Lent beginning in a few short weeks (February 22), I will give away a Seven Sorrows of Mary chaplet, on the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. It is not yet made, so I can't give you a peek, but it will be a keeper, I promise. And if used to pray and meditate on the Seven Sorrows of Mary, will have value beyond this world.

Leave a comment on this post, with a way to contact you, between now and the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes (February 11), to enter your name in the drawing.

Yarning along...

2012-02-01T15:59:00.000-05:00

...with Ginny at Small Things.

I am still working on the same grey wimple I was working on last week. You may be saying to yourself, "Hmmm, it doesn't look like she made any progress on her knitting. In fact, it actually looks a bit smaller." And if you did say that you would be so right. I have taken this wimple off the needles twice and started over (do you do that too? It often takes me three tries to get going the way I like.)

I officially have three books going, something I almost never do. Knitting Rules by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee is fun and I am picking through it here and there, but I also started Organized Simplicity by Tsh Oxenreider, when Ginny tipped me off to its free status for Kindle a few weeks ago. I like reading it, but since I haven't actually started organizing anything yet, I need to read small bits at a time. Today I started Pray, Hope and Don't Worry by Diane Allen, because I felt the need to add some real meat to my reading diet. I don't know anyone who doesn't love Saint Padre Pio, so it should be a good one.

That's all for today. I am off to iron. Isn't that exciting? Maybe I'll knit a few rows later and I'll be oh-so-much farther along on my wimple. I think I am about one percent complete. Haha!

(1/31)...streaming

2012-01-31T20:18:00.005-05:00

Can you believe we have lived through a month of 2012 already? I am not yet used to writing the new year on checks. I feel like I have been sleeping since we rang in the new year.

~~~~~

I went to look at apartments with my oldest son this morning. I think my statement this morning may have been misleading as this is not the first time for him to live away from home. Essentially he has been gone from home for four years. First he lived in a dorm (but came home for spring quarter and the summer), then an apartment with one guy, and for the past two years in an apartment with the same two guys, and a cat. One guy (both roommates were his classmates since kindergarten) has plans to go to Europe, and the other is in disagreement about the type of apartment he likes. And so, my boy will live alone. The apartments we looked at (sorry, no pics, they were occupied and I didn't think it would be right to take pictures of other people's stuff) were small. They were very small to be precise. But college boy said they were "fine." The least expensive one was $600 and the entire apartment was as small as my daughter's bedroom. It was like New York city small, like prison cell small. It was also, how shall I say, meager? Sparce? Spare? Bare bones, that's what it was. But it was furnished tidily, and, as they say in realty, it has "location, location, location." On a campus boasting 1700 acres, that means something. He would be close to the ag campus where most of his remaining classes will be.

His dad and I are going to help him financially as much as we are able, but he'll still be graduating with a small mortgage, which makes me sad. I hate that Americans have bought into this "higher education" mentality and so few people think it's even possible to be successful without a college education any more. Pft.

~~~~~

I posted my very first "Pinning it down" post today on my food blog. I admit, after much trepidation about Pinterest, that it's quite fun and has not had a negative effect on me (i.e. I have not become covetous about "stuff" found there, or negative about "stuff" in my own home). In fact, since finding several of my favorite internet friends there, I have found it quite like strolling through Target with a girlfriend. There is much variety and mostly it's all just fun.

If you are on Pinterest, leave me your Pinterest name, so I can follow you (sounds a bit like stalking doesn't it?)

~~~~~

And on an entirely different subject, have you heard that Susan G. Komen has split with Planned Parenthood? Good, good news. Great news! That is quite a blow for the pro-death community. Kudos to those who fight the good fight for LIFE, especially those who have gotten into the rink with PP and Komen.

Praise be to God.

Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us.

Keep on offering those rosaries.

too much happiness

2012-01-31T08:46:00.000-05:00

If you have a dog that has a hard time holding her pee when she is oh-so-happy, it's a pretty good idea not to invite her into your daughter's bed. Way too much happiness. My husband learned that lesson last night. Now I have lots of linens to wash.

Later on I'm going to try to join Sarah and create my first pin-up on my food blog (Though I don't think that's what sweet Sarah is calling it. Oh no. It's pin down.).

Of course I'm pinning food. Yum.

But first I must go look at apartments with my oldest college boy. It's big. He's going to be moving out on his own next year. I'll let you know how it goes. Might try to take a photo or two.

I Spy...Life (3)

2012-01-29T16:10:00.001-05:00

Off to the Post Office Saturday morning edition

1) a soft, flannel, baby boy quilt ( I love baby boys)
2) two First Holy Communion rosaries, one pink, one purple
3) Latin flash cards (they are Faith's -- not for mailing)
4) my new favorite coffee mug (a Christmas gift from my mother)
5) my Kindle Fire, with Organized Simplicity loaded on it (I think everyone is reading it)
6) a black onyx rosary with St. Michael medal attached (headed to a sweet girl's soldier in Afghanistan)
7) a purple and bronze tenner, headed to my mother-in-law (hopefully not to be lost ;-)
8) a tablespoon of chamomile tea (my current favorite -- with just a bit of honey added; enjoyed in tea cups, not coffee mugs)
9) my current knit (of which I have started over three times)
10) the latest National Catholic Register (I read only two stories at a time and it lasts me a couple weeks)
11) beads to make a pretty necklace for an event in two weeks (crystals in brown and blue)
12) newly refinished table (yeah -- my husband made it better than before the fire!)

(1/27)...streaming

2012-01-27T10:33:00.008-05:00

I went to bed last night to pouring down rain. Woke up to snow. That made an interesting rush hour drive to get Noah to school. I am fond of neither driving in the dark nor driving in the snow.

~~~~~

I made the trek into town this morning for school drop-off because my husband is sick with a stomach bug. Nothing like a stomach bug to get the bathrooms cleaned. All three were in use last night. Sheesh. Did you ever notice that stomach bugs always hit in the middle of the night? What's up with that?

~~~~~

I picked up my new occlusal device (night time bite plate) yesterday. Between the occlusal guard and people getting sick in the night I can't say it was exactly a decent night's sleep. Nope. Wouldn't say that at all. I am wondering how long it will take to get used to it. Any readers use one?

~~~~~

On the way to school this morning, Noah read to me a letter written by our bishop which is to be read during the homily of all Masses in our diocese this Sunday. It is in regard to last week's HHS mandate. I imagine many of my readers will hear similar letters read at Mass on Sunday. I hope so anyway.

My husband works for a Catholic hospital system and so this mandate affects me very directly. The Catholic Church will never provide coverage (not to mention complete coverage) of birth control, sterilization procedures, and abortion pills, and surgical abortion. If nothing changes in the next year, as a result of this mandate, we will either lose our medical insurance coverage completely, or Catholics hospitals will close. Frankly, if you take away medical insurance from hospital employees, I can't see that they will stay open. Who would work for an employer that offers no medical benefits? Catholic schools and universities are in the same boat. If Catholic schools and hospitals close, imagine the impact on the schools and hospitals which are left. Catholic hospitals provide 25% of the medical care in this country. Private schools account for 25% of the nations school and over half of those are Catholic schools. Hmmm...interesting. Intentional? Makes you wonder.

But, even if you don't work for a Catholic employer, and even if you don't care if all Americans are forced to pay for contraception and sterilization for everyone, you should care that the president has violated the First Amendment of the Constitution, and the separation of Church and State. What will be next, I wonder?

I could get really fired up about this issue, because at the forefront of this debate are a lot of so-called "Catholics," like the secretary of HHS, so-called "Catholic" politicians, and heads of so-called "Catholic" organizations that favor this ruling. This fact infuriates me.

But I am trying to replace worry with action. I am committed to calling my politicians, especially those who I know favor the mandate, at least a couple times a week. I'll also write letters. I hope that you will, too. As well as take the opportunity to educate anyone who does not know about or understand the ramifications of this mandate.

Yarning along...

2012-01-25T16:30:00.005-05:00

...with Ginny at Small Things

Knitting, and reading about knitting. Total immersion here. If you can't go whole hog, don't go at all, I say.

I finished Faith's vest and she has worn it twice, but now it is being laundered so I can't show you. But, I will, I promise -- the next time she wears it.

I cast on this wimple, which I intend to use when it snows, but I am rather disenchanted with it at the moment. It feels like I have been working on it for a long time, and as you can see, I have not much to show for my effort. The yarn is KnitPicks Alpaca Cloud in smoke heather, and I am thinking it might be too lightweight for this project, even though the pattern calls for lace weight. I think it would be better for a wrap to use with a dressy dress. I am just not sure I am going to ever be able to see the beautiful pattern in this wimple when I am finished. My mother taught me never to quit mid-way, however, and that, paired with my stubborn nature means I will finish it no matter what.

I am reading Knitting Rules by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, and it is a rather humorous look at knitting from an non-knitter's perspective (paired with some cool tricks -- like burning mystery yarn to see what it really is. Cool.) I can see that it would be handy to have a copy in the reference section of my bookshelves.

My kindle is pictured because I keep my patterns downloaded on it. Very handy. And I am a lot less likely to lose it than a sheet of paper.

That's it for today. Be sure to stop by Ginny's to see what everyone else is busy with.

Daybook

2012-01-23T13:46:00.001-05:00

Outside my window...

...a balmy 55 degrees F. There is a strong wind blowing, and the sky is grey, but it feels wonderful. January? Who said it's January?

I am thinking...

...about wonderful Chinese dinner we had last night. Doug frequently eats lunch at a little Chinese restaurant near his office. A few weeks ago, in anticipation of the Chinese New Year, the hostess said to him, "You come. You bring family." I said, "that's Chinese for, 'You come. Ring up big bill.'"

Irregardless, we had fun. Josh's girlfriend came, we picked up my college boy, and my mom joined us. There were dancing dragons in the dining room, loud drums and cymbals (just when the dragons danced), for a short while, and Faith hid under the table. She said the dragons "freak me out." We fed them dollar bills, as is apparently "good luck." Not that we believe in good luck, but it was all fun. Dinner was good, too! We rarely do that kind of thing -- I mean very rarely -- which makes it more special when we do.

I am thankful for....

...yarn and bead stash

...prayers

...hot, (strong) black coffee, always

From the lesson plans...

...maybe a day away from the house this week, but with books. Last week we went to my in-laws' house. They were away and it was very quiet, but Faith was rather distracted. Faith is rather distracted no matter what we do, so I have to do what offers the least number of distractions, while not losing our minds in the house alone.

From the kitchen...

...I had leftover Chinese green beans and chicken or lunch. Yum. Beans and wieners for dinner with Moist Cornbread. Oh, and Custard Pie for dessert. Just because.

I am wearing...

...Khaki trousers, and a black v-neck sweater with a light blue tee underneath

I am creating...

...a blue, red, white and green baby quilt -- cute, cute, a black onxy rosary for an online friend's recently deployed husband, a grey wimple for myself.

I am reading...

... Knitting Rules! and When Horses Had Wings on the kindle.

I am hoping...

...for an end to abortion

I am hearing...

...Faith talking to herself while she is (supposed to be) drying dishes

Around the house...

...clutter from the weekend. It was a busy weekend, so not very much cleaning was done.

...laundry catchup.

I am going...

...I have an appointment to pick up my occlusal device on Thursday, but that's my only commitment all week. Yea!

One of my favorite things...

...warm January days

...planning trips (shhh! don't tell but I'm planning a birthday getaway for Faith to the Chicago American Girl store. It probably won't be until March -- her birthday is in February -- but I am having fun just thinking about it.)

I am praying for...

...my children, and my husband.

...two soldiers just deployed, both to Afghanistan

...our priests and all religious

...all of the babies whose mothers are contemplating abortion this week

Plans for the rest of the week...

...school and home -- my vocation

...knitting, sewing, rosary-making

A picture thought...

more girl and her dog

"Doggy love...

2012-01-19T17:12:00.001-05:00

... is the #1 reason why school at home is better than school at school" -- Faith

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yarn along

2012-01-18T17:08:00.001-05:00

Linking up with Ginny at Small Things.

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Sorry about the iPhone Instagram, but today has been a busy day. We always pay for those lovely holidays in one way or another and now we have a shortened week in which to get a week's worth of work done. Oh well, fewer days until the weekend, eh? I snapped this shot while we schooled in the sometimes sunny living room today.

I am still working on Faith's vest. I didn't get quite as far as I hoped over the weekend, but I'm about 2/3 finished. Faith is tall so I need to make sure it's long enough. Hopefully it's not too big around because she is also pretty skinny.

I am still reading The American Frugal Housewife and am amazed at how pertinent the information is today (since it was written in 1832). The author particularly brings up, repeatedly, how important it is to prepare children for the work they will have to do to maintain a household when they move out of the home. If she thought children in 1836 were unprepared for the challenges of keeping house, I can't imagine what she would think of children today.

I have a stack of knitting books (pictured) which I picked up from the library yesterday. I am anxious to get to them.

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silly husband

2012-01-17T21:20:00.000-05:00

Last evening, my husband and I were sitting amicably in the living room, he on his iPad listening to a podcast, I believe, and a I working on a rosary. After Faith went to bed I got up and said I was going in the family room to watch Downton Abbey, dvr'd the previous evening.

I got myself settled with my knitting and a cup of hot cocoa and it wasn't even the end of the pre-show credits before he came and settled himself in the chair next to me. Too funny. He didn't watch season 1, so he had some questions about a few characters, but mostly he watched and seemed to really enjoy it.

Afterward, he went out to the garage to get a newspaper he had placed in the recycling. He wanted to show me this article from the Wall Street Journal about a book that was inspiration for the creator of Downtown Abbey. Apparently the class difference illustrated in Downtown Abbey is really just the tip of the iceberg. Apparently so is the amount of work the servants are actually seen doing at Downton Abbey. The book is titled Below Stairs by Margaret Powell, and looks like a worthy read. I wonder if I could get my husband to read it to me. (wink)

Daybook

2012-01-16T19:37:00.000-05:00

Outside my window...

...cold, gray, and rainy. Glad I'm indoors.

I am thinking...

...about a week shortened by a school holiday, and how many projects I might get started and finished.

I am also thinking about finding my oldest an apartment somewhere I'd like him to live on campus. Or at least a happy compromise.

I am thankful for....

...clean surfaces, at least in most of the rooms

...hot, (strong) black coffee, always

From the lesson plans...

...maybe a day away from the house this week, but with books. The library is too noisy (isn't that insane?) and it's hard to focus at a coffee shop. I need to make certain, however, that the four walls don't close in on the two of us girls.

From the kitchen...

...Best Beef Enchiladas for dinner. We had Jets deep dish pizza -- yea for holidays! (oh my gosh, I love their crust!)

I am wearing...

...grey velour slacks and a French blue turtleneck, Haflinger wool clogs and my "chains" (not a bit of makeup)

I am creating...

...I am a little over half through with this sweater vest in pink for Faith. I am midway through a pink First Holy Communion rosary, and have a purple one to start. I have another rosary to work on for Doug's aunt. I also have a skirt to sew, a jumper to sew, and two baby quilts. No shortage of projects.

I am reading...

...The American Frugal Housewife, and Knitting Rules! is on deck.

I am hoping...

...for a quiet, peaceful and productive January

I am hearing...

...Faith is making a cup of tea. She has become quite the tea drinker lately.

Around the house...

...Christmas decorations down (check)

...bedrooms tidied up (check, but not perfect)

...laundry done (and most of the ironing, check, check)

I am going...

...no appointments this week, yeh for me! (except holy hour on Friday for the unborn)

One of my favorite things...

...free days

I am praying for...

...my children, and my husband.

...two soldiers just deployed, both to Afghanistan

...our priests and all religious

...all of the babies whose mothers are contemplating abortion this week

Plans for the rest of the week...

...school and home -- my vocation

...as many projects as I can possibly finish

A picture thought...

feeding the blue jays barefoot early last week...and then it snowed

saturday night fire

2012-01-14T20:11:00.000-05:00

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The kids said the burning hollow log looks like the devil's chimney.

seven quick takes

2012-01-13T11:29:00.001-05:00

-1-

It snowed last night...first real snow of the winter, though it was only an inch or so. It's cold, so it will stay. The temps went from 40s and drizzly yesterday to low 20s and snow around 8 o'clock. I always think of that film Day After Tomorrow when that happens. Brrr. It is really cold out right now. And windy. My college boy will attest to that. He called around 9 and he wasn't very happy. He's not a fan of cold and wind and snow. He needs to move to San Diego (when they were little boys they called it "sandy lego," and we still call it that).

-2-

And because he is getting a degree in Environmental Policy he will tell me extreme weather is brought on by anthropogenic heat/emissions. I am still not entirely convinced that "global warming" is creating abrupt climate change, but I do admit I have noticed some unusual weather lately.

Going from mid 45 to 19 degrees in 24 hours is rather extreme.

My new thermostat tells me how cold it is outside. Brrr.

I don't need it to tell me how windy it is because I can hear it in the trees. Brrr.

-3-

Noah was praying for a snow day today. He had three tests and a paper due. He said he was going to flush ice down the toilet and wear his pajamas backwards. Those are the things you apparently do to create a snow day. Ha. I had to tell him he can't be a good Catholic and be superstitious.

-4-

This weekend we have some cleaning up to do. I think I need to get to an almost Amish motif to feel like it's clean around here. I am having a real problem with my kids' bedrooms. I go back and forth between thinking that their rooms can be messy if that's the way they want to live, and wanting to pitch all their crap out the window and burn it in the yard. The problem is there is no medium messy for them. It's 20 articles of clothes on the floor and dirty dishes on the furniture. I'm mostly referring to the teenage boys here, Faith is messy, but she doesn't take dishes to her room. I tell them not to take dishes to their rooms, but I can't stand guard in the kitchen 24/7, so they do. Yes, I should punish them, but what's an appropriate punishment for leaving dishes in your room? If I tell them to clean their rooms, it gets done half-assed. Ugh. Suggestions?

-5-

Another issue I am battling is Faith's clothes. I hate to say this but my daughter has the fashion taste of a hooker. I buy her nice, basic clothes, but I have a few hand-me-downs from a friend and they are just too tacky for my taste. I have to get rid of all the junk and leave her with just the stuff I like. But even then she will mix outfits in a way that leaves me cringing. I am a Garanimals kind of mom. I like everything to match and I try to make sure all her clothes for one season can be mixed, but she inevitably finds the one shirt that clashes with the one skirt. Open for suggestions. Should I just leave her alone and not look?

-6-

I had a dream last night that I had a new baby. Sigh. He was a lovely little baby (we named him Simon, which does not at all go with our last name, but it is a lovely name), but the disturbing thing about my new baby dreams is that in the dream I always forget to feed the baby. Now none of my babies ever allowed me to forget to feed them, but in my dreams the baby just sleeps and sleeps, and eventually I realize I forgot to feed the baby for like a whole day. It doesn't take a Freud to figure out I'm feeling like I'm neglecting someone or something in my life. Hmmm.

-7-

We're off school on Monday, and Doug took the day off, so we have a long, relaxing weekend with nothing on the calendar. Sounds wonderful, doesn't it? I plan to take full advantage and maybe I'll have Faith's vest knitted by Monday. And a few movies watched. What's on your weekend's agenda?

Join Jen at Conversion Diary for more Quick Takes

yarn along...

2012-01-11T10:58:00.001-05:00

I have expressed here before my love of grey days. Not just because bright glares trigger my migraine headaches, but I just think grey days are cozy. I am a homebody and grey days encourage hominess. Of course they are not great for taking photos. The last four days have been cloudless. Today I want to take a picture and there is not a peep of sun anywhere. It's as grey as it can be. Go figure.

The furnace installers have been here since 7:30 am yesterday (of course they went home to sleep). I am anxious for them to be done. Besides having strangers in my house, they are back and forth from the back yard where they are installing a/c, and my floor is filthy. I just want to sweep and steam. The dog came in muddy too, which didn't help matters. One of those days where you just offer it up.

The other day I cast on this sweet little vest in Knitpicks Brava Worsted in rouge for Faith. I call this bright pink and Faith absolutely says it's dark pink. I call pastels "light" and she calls them "bright." It makes for some confusing moments picking out clothes some days. (Trying to pick out clothes for a nine-year-old girl is most definitely another post entirely.) The yarn is a little scratchy -- feels more like a wool -- but I wanted something a little more durable for Faith to wear. She's not a sitting pretty kind of girl. My fingers and thumbs, however, are rather beat up and I think the rough texture of the yarn might be to blame. My thumb has an actual hole in it, which is not entirely unusual for me this time of year.

I haven't been reading much lately. A few pages of this on my Kindle and a few pages of that, which I need to finish up because it's a library book. Mostly while I knit, at least in the evening, I've been watching Bramwell, an older Masterpiece Theater series, on my Kindle Fire. I am on the fourth and last year, so I'm savoring the last few episodes. Last night I watched the dvr'd premiere of Downton Abbey. I watched the whole first season just before Christmas while I frantically knitted my son's balaclava. Are you watching Downton Abbey, too? It's funny that so many Americans are hooked on this British series. If you are hooked on Downton Abbey, I bet you would enjoy Bramwell, also.

Join Ginny to check out some other lovely knitters and readers.

New Year's Eve Illusions

2012-01-10T19:53:00.002-05:00

Joining the ladies (and men) at Snapshots Around the World.

We always host a big family New Year's Eve party. Yummy food, cold drinks, fireworks, loud chatter and sometimes games fill the night. As I prepared for our company this past holiday, I noticed Doug outside preparing a fire on the deck (yes, on the deck). He had also taken the Christmas lights off the tree (three strands went out just after Christmas and so the tree came down prematurely) and wrapped them around the deck rails. I wanted to get a picture of him out there fooling around, with the lights and the fire, but no matter how hard I tried I kept capturing the reflection of the indoors, candles and shiny ornaments, drinking glasses and ice bucket ready, the warm glow from lamps, and a pair of mittens left on the table. I love the combination -- the outside and the inside -- the full picture as we rang in the New Year.

central Ohio

daybook...first of 2012

2012-01-09T16:56:00.001-05:00

Outside my window...

...moderately cold and sunny. I am grateful for the mild temperatures when I think about the heating bill, but it doesn't seem a bit like January in Ohio.

I am thinking...

...about some tough love I think we need around here. Faith in particular has gotten rather sassy lately, and is just plain miserable to be around some days, mostly in regard to school work and keeping a decent schedule. I think we have a harder time after Christmas because we don't have the beginning of the year excitement to motivate her. I had to resort to the timer to get her moving today and ignore her comments about "hating school." Part of me wants to help her, and find fun things to do, and part of me wants to give her a good thrashing. In the end I know she just needs time and a strict schedule, as do the boys. They have stretched bedtimes to the very limits, and one weekends think they should be free to do whatever they want. Huh.

I am thankful for....

...prayer, renewed

...sticking to some new year goals

...hot, (strong) black coffee, always

From the lesson plans...

...the timer, mostly, and good old-fashioned lessons

From the kitchen...

...tonight blt benedict with avocado and tomato relish, and leftover Epiphany Cake.

I am wearing...

...khaki trousers, a heavy, brown, cotton turtleneck and brown patent leather clogs, with my new bronze wrist chain

I am creating...

...I just cast on this sweater vest in pink for Faith. I repaired several rosaries in the past week so it's nice to do some knitting for a change.

I am reading...

...The American Frugal Housewife, and The National Catholic Register in the few moments I have for reading. Not much time for reading these days. I've been spending a lot of time watching the four seasons of Bramwell.

I am hoping...

...for a quiet, peaceful January

I am hearing...

...two of the menfolk arrived home a bit ago and they are busting into a bucket of popcorn Doug received from a colleague.

Around the house...

...Christmas decorations coming down, but maybe not today

I am going...

...to the dentist tomorrow to be fitted for an occlusal devise, to help with my nighttime clenching. The furnace is being installed tomorrow and Wednesday so mostly I'll be home this week.

One of my favorite things...

...new beginnings

I am praying for...

...my children, and my husband.

...our priests and all religious

...all of the babies whose mothers are contemplating abortion this week

Plans for the rest of the week...
...school and home -- my vocation

A few picture thoughts....

New Year's Eve pretties

A pj school day, last week

My honey making a big Epiphany fire

My oldest (right) and his roommates. They came home for dinner last night, and enjoyed the fire, and Wicked Kebobs, and Epiphany Cake.

My Joshua on the way home from a doctor's appt today. He's a cutie. And yes I was photographing and driving. My bad. But just with my phone so I didn't even have to look.

Eleventh day yarn along

2012-01-04T10:50:00.002-05:00

On the eleventh day I'll crochet, and read, with Ginny and friends.

Yesterday I was browsing through the Kindle library for something on organizing. Not that I need to read how to organize, because I do just fine on my own, but I needed some inspiration. As soon as I saw the title of this book (The American Frugal Housewife, free here), I knew it would be good, and it was free. Free inspiration! The first paragraph of the introduction is:

"The true economy of housekeeping is simply the art of gathering up all the fragments, so that nothing be lost. I mean fragments of time, as well as materials. Nothing should be thrown away so long as it is possible to make use of it, however trifling that use may be; and whatever be the size of the family, every member should be employed either in earning or saving money."

I love that mentality. Of course, the author of the book, written in 1832, goes on to say that knitting socks is much less expensive than buying, which is obviously not true, obvious to anyone who has bought yarn or socks today. But, I love the idea of using every little thing, and every bit of time. I have always said my time is free.

I'm sure there are many parts of the book that are outdated, but I'm just as sure that much of the book will be inspirational to me. I think there is much to be said for teaching children how to be frugal. American children today think nothing of breaking and dirtying things, and wearing out their clothes. There's always more, right? I think it's good to teach them why we should take care of what we have.

Ironically, just last week I started a scarf using scraps of yarn left from other projects. I didn't have enough black to make the scarf, so I pulled it apart and started over, making a blanket for my Joshua's bed. I ordered some more black, but will also use up all my colored scraps on the rows in between. Cotton and wool, it's all good and will be warm when it's done. It's all single chain, every other row will be black.

I'm waiting on my knit picks shipment of yarn, so I'll just work on my scraps in the meantime. And think about frugality.

Join Ginny for some more knitting and reading.

On the tenth day...

2012-01-03T10:01:00.000-05:00

...I wish I could say I had slept ten hours. Haha. Not likely. Though Faith has and she's not yet awake. She often sleeps 12 and is almost there right now. Lucky girl.

The duct cleaning man is coming today. We've been in this house for 13 years and it's not been done by us. The house is almost 30 years old and I don't know if it's ever been done. Could be a really big job. I don't know what to expect, but I keep hoping he won't make a mess.

School started back today for Noah, and the big boys at Ohio State (and will for Faith when her sleepy head wakes up). I don't wish to be them walking in the snow from building to building. Brrrr. I love winter but mostly because I stay home, a lot. My little chick and I will be tucked away, snug and warm in our house. In the winter, I find myself thanking God frequently for a roof, and furnace, and warm clothes.

Speaking of furnace, that's the reason we are having the ducts cleaned...we are getting a new furnace and air conditioner installed very soon. Though I admit I hate spending money on stuff like that -- a new roof, new tires -- I am grateful we can do it. Unlike last year's list of home improvement projects, I truly hope this is the only thing we do this year. I'd like a year off projects. No ten projects this year.

I'm running out of numbered topics (at least those that are readily available in my head) but I thought I'd talk about food goals this year. I feel like by Christmas every year I have absolutely no energy left for 1) cooking and 2) setting limits for the kids in regard to food, and by New Year's Eve we are all about eating junk, something I hate. But besides eating healthier this year (at least until December when it all falls apart) I have some other food goals, and we'll see if I can come up with ten.

1) bake more bread. I did already mention that as part of my "resolutions" but I'd like to try more kinds of bread and really make an effort to buy a lot less bread. A lot less. I'd like to work my way through the Five Minute Artisan Bread book because I think it's a great resource for truly good bread. I'd also like to get my self a sandwich bread pan and try to perfect the old-fashioned white bread my kids love, while also encouraging them to eat more whole grains.

2) Try to really limit ingredients to whole foods -- less purchased sauce and condiments and more cooking with herbs, lemon and lime juice, extra virgin olive oil. Really just more simple. Simple but better.

3) Try my hand at Indian food. I've never been a big fan of curry, but it could be something that needs more trying. There is also more to Indian food than curry. My college boy (who used to be the pickiest kid) encouraged me to try some Indian food, and I am on the hunt for some good recipes.

4) More ethnic food in general. My family loves to be adventurous with food and so I'd like to work on some truly ethnic dishes -- more than Mexican/American and Italian/American.

5) More grains less wheat. I need to experiment with some grains other than what we normally eat, rice, oat and wheat. I like corn but don't use it a lot in baking, and I'd like to try some grains we've never tried. Our G/I doctor told us earlier last year that less wheat is good for everyone, but wheat, like soy, is rather pervasive. I always say "everything in moderation," but sometimes you have to cut in order to even be moderate.

6) in the same ilk but not food, I am trying to cut plastic from our food use. Not that we eat plastic, but then, maybe we do. Did you ever notice how much food is stored in plastic? Yuk. I read some articles recently (dangerous, I know) that really creeped me out about how much plastic we ingest. I switched to all glass storage containers, and even bought wax papers lunch bags (how's that for a blast from the past?) and now I'm keeping an eye out on the products I purchase. If I can buy plastic-free I will. I need to find a way to store bread that's not in plastic -- any suggestions?

7) more fruit, different fruit. It's hard to get away from just apples, oranges and grapes, but I'd like to have more fruit every day and not just the same-old same-old. It's expensive though, isn't it? Geoffrey wanted to try a pomegranate while he was home and one pomegranate was $1.50. And all he got was a handful of seeds. Not a big bang for our buck. A lot of canned fruit is made in China, so that's not a good route either. I think making smoothies might be a good route, because I can buy frozen berries when they are out of season or pricey. Hmmm, need to experiment.

8) the same goes for veggies, but I am hopeful that branching out into different ethnic dishes will help us consume different veggies. And maybe I can start throwing some spinach into a smoothie.

9) less dessert. My family will be so sad if I tell them they are getting less dessert, so I'll have to just stop buying as many treats and make the ones they have healthier.

10) less time spent cooking. That seems rather contrary to the above goals, but I think, with the right recipes and state of mind, and simple ingredients, I can spend less time in the kitchen. That's a good thing.

On the ninth day...

2012-01-02T09:14:00.002-05:00

...I have a migraine. Second in four days. There must be a correlation, but what? I'm just now having the characteristic (for me) blind spot (makes typing interesting), so the headache hasn't started.

It snowed a little last night. Just a smidge more than a dusting. But it's very windy so it looks like more than it is when big gusts blow large patches of the roofs. It looks quiet and pretty even with the wind.

Not much going on today. Shooting for nine loads of laundry. I am setting my timer on my phone for the exact time the washer takes. We'll see if the washer, and I can make it. Last day of vacation (sad face).

On the seventh and eighth days...

2012-01-01T16:10:00.003-05:00

...because I had to catch up -- today is the Octave of Christmas.

On the seventh day we partied, and on the eighth day we quietly celebrate, Our Blessed Mother. I'm sitting here under a throw (the house is very chilly as the temperature drops outside) with a cup of hot toddy (a strong cup of tea, a generous spoon of honey, a squirt of lime juice, and a glug - or two - of spiced rum). I know it's only three in the afternoon, but it's a holiday. We are having a simple dinner of homemade pasta, but because we have so many goodies left from Christmas, I can't justify baking a dessert for the Holy Day. We'll light a white candle with dinner and keep it lit through the evening (supervised, of course). We are anticipating snow tonight, so the solemn, quiet atmosphere will be just the thing...

There's some bread dough rising on the counter and a batch of granola just came from the oven, in an effort to work on one of my "resolutions." I say "resolutions" (in quotes) because I always say I don't make resolutions. But the new year is such a wonderful time for second chances, for getting things right again. It's a hard thing to pass up -- the opportunity for getting things right. So, though they may be "resolutions" for some, they are things on which I need to work, to me. I am calling it my More/Less list. Eight things to do more and less of:

1) more random acts of kindness. Whether taking an empty cart from the grocery store lot to save some soul from pushing one more in, or putting a love note in someone's lunch box or coat pocket, I need to do more.

2) less worry. Worry doesn't solve problems, but action and prayer does.

3) more good food. Too many cookies and shacks always prompts me to seek healthier food by the new year. I would also like to simplify what we eat, which sounds contrary to "more good food" but I really want better, but not more. Home baked breads, granola and yogurt once a day, more vegetables, less cheese, you know what I mean.

4) less stuff. I plan to purge quite a bit this year. No big plans just have less overall.

5) in line with less stuff, but not specifically related to, spend less money. Have you noticed how expensive even groceries have gotten? I hope between simplifying meals and striving to have less stuff, I will also spend less money.

6) more cleaning. It seems contrary to what most people want, and it may have more to do with clutter than anything, but I need a cleaner house. Need it for my sanity.

7) more crafting. All work and no play... I'd like to fill my Etsy shop with rosaries and jewelry, and knit more just for the pleasure it brings me.

8) more prayer. This goes without saying.. More Divine Intimacy, The Imitation of Christ, the rosary, True Devotion to Mary, all need to be a regular part of my prayer time, every day, several times a day.

Do you make resolutions?

Just a little friendly warning

2011-12-31T15:42:00.006-05:00

Updated with some additional warnings:

I noticed a lot of folks bought Kindle Fires for Christmas. If you let the kids use it, please note that they can purchase apps without any password or warning. You can turn off in-app purchases through parental controls (apps>store>settings>parental controls) but you can't disable first-time purchases, no way, no how (unless you completely disable the Kindle from amazon), even if you have already disabled 1-click purchases on your account.

(I find the threat of bodily harm, however, usually does the trick.)

I think it stinks, but my son says it's fair game. These dadgum young, whipper snappers.

(you can remove all credit card information if you don't find adding them for each purchase rather tedious.)

PS I don't mean to be a killjoy if you are loving your new toy, because I am enjoying mine as well, but better you hear it from a friend than to find out the hard way...the Kindle has no parental controls for surfing the Internet which is pretty scary if your kids are free to take it a quiet corner. There are also many pornographic style books available for free (no credit card number or password necessary), and if you are a Prime member, there are lots of free movies, many of which you really don't want the kids to view.

The bottom line is, use with great care and supervision.

On the sixth day...

2011-12-31T11:18:00.001-05:00

...we planned our New Year's Eve party (just a little last minute). It will just be family...brothers and their families, my mom, and aunt and uncle, but, hey, if you're in the neighborhood, stop by. You'll know our house by the fireworks being set off all night -- that's Doug's fun.

There is a variety of beer and wine in the fridge, and Brandy Slushes in the freezer (yum). The lineup for eats is all appetizers, which sounds rather paltry, but by 8 or 9 p.m. we'll need to bundle up for a walk. Every year we stand around and nibble until we can't nibble another bite.

The lineup is:

My favorite antipasto platter. Every year it's a little different, but always delicious. Tonight it will be heavy on the mushrooms, green olives and fresh mozzarella, but we'll have meats and artichokes as well.

Skyline chili dip. Maybe you know my family has a thing for Skyline Chili. It can only get better with more cheese and chips.

Sauerkraut Meatballs (shhhh...don't tell the kids they have sauerkraut in them). My mom is bringing these and she assures me that they do not taste like sauerkraut.

Angie's brand kettle corn. Everything doesn't have to be homemade. This is a nice light treat, slightly sweet. Yum.

Market District Red Pepper Hummus with pita chips -- another cheat, found in the deli at Giant Eagle. It's so yummy there's no need to go homemade on this one.

Chipped beef cheeseball served with good quality crackers. My aunt brings this to every event and it goes like wild fire. Weird I know, but I think it has something to do with the dried beef. Men love it.

And one bonus (it was supposed to be six for the sixth day), because it's so good, my brother's Spinach, Artichoke, Crab and Bacon Dip. Mmmmm.

So, I'm off, to clean and decorate, and a quick run to the store (of course). Happy, happy New Year, my friends.

On the fifth day...

2011-12-30T15:15:00.002-05:00

This morning Doug still has Christmas tunes playing on his iPad. I love the Christmas season, but I admit I'm pretty much done with Jingle Bells style Christmas songs. I just asked him to change channels. There is a Gregorian Holiday station on Pandora that plays lovely religious Christmas songs. "Once in Royal David's City" by King's Choir College is my current favorite.

On this fifth day (which is actually the sixth day but I started the day after) we need to clean up the house for tomorrow's party and put the tree away. We normally keep the tree lit until the Epiphany but this year there are three strands of lights that have gone out. It's pretty dark and rather looks ridiculous (sad face).

As we clean up I like to look again at my Christmas gifts. Though we don't exchange gifts with many, I do have a few favorites (I always have favorites).

Not in any particular order:

My Kindle Fire from my beloved. Love it. I watched Masterpiece Theater junk on it almost every night this break. Hopefully when we get back to school that won't be a habit, but it feels wonderfully indulgent right now. I need to investigate some apps for school.

This pen, given to me by my techy son, Geoffrey. It's not an ink pen but a screen pen. It works wonderfully on my Kindle and my iPhone. Way better than fingertips. the tip is soft and smooshy, not hard like a stylus. Cool. Except I really will have to tie it around my neck like a geek because I keep losing it.

The Imitation of Christ, leather bound with a zipper. A truly good Catholic gift that lasts a lifetime. From my mother-in-law.

I showed you the bracelet I was working on the other day that arrived in my stocking as a kit. Unfortunately when I finished it, the loops were too large for my arm, and so my mother-in-law got another gift. I have a new kit on the way, bronze and silver, and I'll attach a bronze Miraculous Medal. I am anxious to wear my chains for Our Blessed Mother as a reminder that I am her slave.

I have bad feet. Nothing specific just all-around bad feet. They hurt all the time, but my mom knows and she buys me really good shoes. These feel wonderful, and they are rather jazzy, as long as I don't wear white socks with them.

Well, now you know a little about what floats my boat. What was your favorite gift this year?

On the fourth day...

2011-12-29T17:46:00.001-05:00

This morning I was up bright and early to take Geoffrey for an eye doctor appointment and then back to campus (sad face). All four of the kids and I had some good lunch on the way. That was fun.

He recovered incredibly well from surgery, and I thank you for your abundant prayers. To think we had been putting this off for years... thinking it would be so terribly hard for him. I had heard nightmarish stories of adult tonsillectomies. Luckily his doctor was persistent (insistent). Now that it's over, he is very pleased to have done it. I'll tell you a little secret -- he truly believes (as do I to some degree) that his rapid recovery is due partly to a "magic" oil I discovered called Tamanu. It is primarily used for skin ailments, but after reading that it had been known to help sore throats (applied to the neck), I bought a small bottle (not inexpensive) and we used it religiously. We both admitted it could have been due to some placibo affect, but it did lessen the pain and I think his scabs healed faster than Faith's. That and prayer...

On the afternoon of this fourth day, I spent a ridiculous amount of time (truly ridiculous) toggling back and forth between the KnitPicks and Ravelry websites. I spent so much time these past two months knitting Christmas gifts, I almost don't know what to do with myself. I eyeballed a few patterns, and ordered a little yarn, and now I have four projects that I can start soon (tomorrow).

First up is a Wimple (dontcha love that word?) that I'm going to knit in KnitPicks Alpaca Cloud in Smoke Heather (I already have the yarn so I don't have to wait). It matches my hair (wink) and I thought it would be nice to wear on snowy days. The yarn is light enough I could also wear it to Latin Mass instead of a veil.

Then, when my yarn arrives, I'm going to knit Faith another Tiny Teaves Cardi in KnitPick's Brava Worsted Rouge. I have became somewhat of a yarn snob, but have confident that if KnitPick's sells it, I'll like it (fingers crossed). Fortunately Faith is not a yarn snob, so even if the knitting experience isn't all I dream of she'll love it because it's pink!

#3-- I started a scarf a couple days ago and didn't have enough black yarn to finish it so I guess it will become something else, namely an afghan for Joshua's bed. I plan to use up scraps of color, crocheted between single rows of black. I can't decide if the rows of color with be single or multiple. Hmmm? Thoughts? Maybe I'll ask Joshua. Nah..... I'll work on this in between other projects or maybe a row a day.

The fourth project I have on the docket is a shawl/wrap for myself. I have one I use in the house but it's rather skimpy (just enough when you have on a flannel nightgown and a quilt on your lap), and I'd like something to throw around myself when I'm running to get Noah from school or just running quick errands in the cold. I hate winter coats, but in Ohio you really can't just go without. Some days are coat, scarf and glove weather, but some you can get away with just a throw. I spent a ridiculous amount of time (I told you) on Ravelry but never found just what I was looking for. I want something rectangular and thick, but no froufrou -- no ruffles and lace. I would like a little texture, however. If you have any ideas, leave me a tip, would ya?

So that's what's up on the fourth day. Are you busy? Planning future projects?

The third day...

2011-12-28T11:23:00.000-05:00

I went to bed last night feeling fine (as fine as my 49 year-old body allows) and woke up around 5 a.m. with sharp pains in my left shoulder and side of my neck -- the kind you get when you sleep on your arm wrong, except so much worse that I woke up every 15 minutes or so until I finally got out of bed, fetched the heating pad, and headed downstairs. Don't you hate it when stuff like that happens? I have no idea what I did (in order to avoid doing it again). And I have much to do today to get ready for more company tonight. Sigh...

I also have several projects in the works, which will have to wait until I can move my left arm.

This wire-wrapped rosary has been in the queue on and off since November. Now that all the knitted gifts are finished, I can finally finish it. A woman from New Zealand contacted me yesterday to make an Our Lady of Sorrows chaplet, so I have to order parts today, and finish this one up so I can work on that one when the parts arrive.

I started this project as a scarf but ran out of black yarn already. I wanted to use up some scraps, but I guess I didn't have quite enough scraps, since I want to make every other row black. I think I'll get some more black and remake it into a blanket for Joshua's bed.

This little bracelet kit made its way into my stocking at Christmas. When I consecrated myself to the Blessed Mother, Fr. Adam suggested that "we wear chains, because we are her slaves." I usually wear a Miraculous Medal on a chain around my neck, or Miraculous Medal earrings, but unless I look in the mirror, I forget I have them on. The bronze links of the bracelet are large, and reminiscent of chains of bondage. And since I'll have it around my wrist, I'll see it all the time. I'm adding a tiny bronze Miraculous Medal.

On the second day...

2011-12-27T15:31:00.002-05:00

The dishwasher is humming, the washer and drier are spinning, and the oven is baking two kinds of brownies. The two younger boys are downstairs on Xbox, Geoff is parked in his spot on the sofa (he's been in the same spot since surgery 8 days ago, but he's much better today), Faith is playing in her room, and Doug is working on his iPad in the dining room (no such thing as a vacation day with all these electronic devices).

I need to tidy up just a little before more company at 5, but I'm taking just a minute to give you two of my favorite new Christmas decorations -- just simple little things -- on Day 2.

Just two days before Christmas I pulled this statue of the Holy Family from the mantel, wired together some white pine and re-appropriated some silver balls. I love making a special place for the new Holy Family, and this statue of St. Joseph is one of my favorites.

Faith made this wreath from a coat hanger, a ring of plastic ribbon, and a jumbo bag of Brach's peppermints. I added a pretty cloth bow and it's such a cheery indoor wreath. I remembered fondly making a butterscotch version myself waaaaay back in Girl Scouts, and Faith so enjoyed working on it she did it all in one sitting.

Merry second day of Christmas.

The first day...

2011-12-26T10:09:00.002-05:00

I had not decided if I would do the Twelve days of Christmas this year. With Geoffrey still recovering from his tonsillectomy, and not feeling altogether in the spirit of the season, I thought it might be better to just stay silent (if you can't something nice...).

And then yesterday whizzed by with a great deal of excitement, one quick blaze, I thought I must start, albeit a day late.

Yesterday, in the middle of a peaceful afternoon, we had a fire. Not the kind in the fireplace, mind you. This one was in the middle of the kitchen table, the flames curling up around the chandelier.

At breakfast, I had lit the Advent wreath, the last two candles that were left and the white candle in the center. And then after breakfast, a late one, we all went to other areas of the house (um...never leave lit candles unattended). At around 3 in the afternoon, Faith and I were in the living room, I was showing her how to use her new knitting loom, when Geoff peeked his head around the corner and calmly asked, "Do we have a fire extinguisher?"

"Um...yes, why?"

"The wreath is on fire."

Up I jumped, I thought he meant the one up on the family room mantel, and when I turned the corner into the kitchen I saw a ball of fire on the table, engulfing the entire Advent wreath, the flames leaping up around the kitchen chandelier. My first instinct was to grab a big mixing bowl full of soapy water from the dishwater in the sink and dump it on the fire. A second dowsing got it all the way out, just as Doug ran in from the backyard where he had been sitting with his outdoor fire. He had looked up to the house and saw flames on the inside, and ran in just in time to see the last flame sputter out. The smoke was awful, lung-burning stuff, so we threw open the windows and ran to the front porch.

Faith was upset, crying from fear as well as relief, and moments later my in-laws pulled up, at the time they had planned to visit.

Unfortunately we had quite a mess to clean up, with water everywhere, and a big black scar on the kitchen table. The glass candlestick that held the white candle had shattered when I threw the water on it and shards of glass were everywhere, luckily no one got hit with it. Fortunately I had not used a table cloth or we would have had a bigger disaster, and probably would have had to call the fire department. As it is, the table might be saved, but I think the burn is probably more than skin deep. The chandelier was blackened, but not ruined, and, thank God, no one was hurt.

I learned my lesson about burning candles, especially those not in glass jars. Next year's Advent wreath will not have loose candles, and I will never light another candle not safely tucked down inside glass. As I lie in bed last night I imagined other scenarios, those that didn't happen, but just as easily could have. With all of us preoccupied with other activities, if the boys had not been in the family room, the entire kitchen could have been in flames before we noticed.

I hope you will learn a lesson from me, as well, and not light candles unattended (that warning is most definitely placed on candles for a reason).

And I hope that we have, from this day on, eleven calm days of Christmas.

On the morning of the Eve...

2011-12-24T12:50:00.014-05:00

Here I sit with cinnamon toast and coffee, I have a long list of things to do and no energy, no desire to do any of them. I had hoped that making many of the gifts we give would put the spirit in my heart, but it ended up just making things crazy in a different way. The gifts, the gifts, it's all about the gifts and that makes me grinchy.

Yesterday I took the three younger children shopping for their dad. They just wanted to get him a tool, something practical. It should have been a quick trip but because it was two days before Christmas it was chaotic, traffic at a standstill, drivers honking angrily at others with the audacity to be in the way. If we could lose the gift-giving, I thought, Christmas would be perfect. But would it? What is a perfect Christmas? The first Christmas wasn't perfect, the Blessed Mother lying in a barn, among the sheep and cows, placing her new infant in a trough. In all our sin-filled humanness we are certainly a lot less likely to get it perfect than the Blessed Mother and her baby God. We grouse at each other, angry at little time and less money to create the perfect Christmas.

Last night Faith and I watched The Nativity Story, a must see for me each year. The film has a lot of foreshadowing and last night I noticed an instance I had not noticed before. When Joseph and Mary are traveling through Jerusalem and notice the selling of sacrificial animals and changing of money outside the temple, Joseph says, "it should be a place of worship" foreshadowing Our Lord's show of temper written about in the Gospels. Also foreshadowing our own greed for the material goods we find necessary to celebrate His birth. Christmas makes us greedy for time and stuff. In the search for the perfect Christmas with worldly things we always come up short.

On the way home from shopping yesterday I pointed out to Joshua and Noah the numerous yard signs advertising various Protestant Christmas services. I commented that Catholic churches would never advertise as we always have our fill on Christmas, and don't those twice-a-year Catholics make us a little crazy? Taking up room in our pews? I was talking to my mother-in-law this morning about the yard signs we noticed and she said that she read that the advertising done by Fellowship churches is a nationwide "phenomenon." Apparently, and I hadn't noticed this, the churches are advertising their Christmas Eve services because there are no Christmas day services. Preachers have said "Christmas is for families" and that's apparently where they will be Christmas morning. It's not about the Holy Family, or Our Lord and Savior, it's about families and the altar under the tree.

No matter how badly we behave, however, Our Lord will come. As a tiny infant, in a dirty stable. He comes because He loves us, no matter how badly we behave and how imperfectly we celebrate. Whether our spirit is in the right place or not, He will come. He comes for the lowly shepherds and the glorious Magi.

In the scene in The Nativity Story when the shepherds arrive at the stable, an old shepherd approaches the Blessed Mother and baby God, and he hesitates, knowing how lowly he is. And Mary says to him, "He comes for all mankind." And so He does. Praise be to God.

Santa's workshop

2011-12-22T17:31:00.001-05:00

Besides nursing my needy patient, I had several projects to finish up (start) this week that were supposed to be wrapped and under the tree by Saturday. There were more projects than were both practical and smart under the circumstances, but thank goodness they are all finished (all except one but it's not needed until next week). There are a few that are for recipients who are readers (so I can't share all), but I can share several Instagram pics I took today.

Stella and Stewart owl, created for my son's girlfriend. Cute, cute and easy pattern to follow.

Grandma birthstone bracelet for my mom (they call her Mimi). I got the stamped disc here, but made the rest. The dangling ruby bead is the great grand.

Blue and silver shaggy earrings -- kit from here. I love, love these kits. My niece loves the Dallas Cowboys and these earrings just screamed "Dallas Cowboys."

Bracelets from here as well for more pretty girls. These are fun to make.

This hat, knit twice (for one hat) and stuffed with some cash, turned out well. Finally.

This hat, knit for my nephew and also stuffed with cash, was not so easy and I'm not recommending the pattern. But it turned out well.

This one, a balaclava for my son Geoff, was just blocked, in the knick of time. It, too, was an awful pattern and I won't link to it. The hat turned out great but the pattern needed an awful lot of filling in the blanks.

And now, it's time for Mrs. Claus to bake cookies.

Thanks for the prayers

2011-12-20T20:46:00.001-05:00

Peach here, updating my mom's blog for her.

My mom says her blog friends are great. You're always praying for us.

My brother Geoffrey's surgery yesterday went pretty well (he had his tonsils out). My mom said the surgeon came out after 20 minutes and said there was not a drop of blood. He must be really good (the doctor, that is).

Too bad my brother doesn't think it was so great. He says it hurts a lot. I remember when I had my tonsils out and it hurt really bad and I'm a girl (my mom says girls are tough). My mom keeps asking my brother what he wants to eat, and she tells him "drink, drink, drink" about a hundred times a day.

Last night my brother's uvula swelled up really bad (that's the ding dong thing that hangs down in your throat). The doctor prescribed some steroids to help the swelling (and my mom says they make my brother grumpy).

So I'm just trying to stay out of the way. I helped my dad stack wood, and then I moved a bunch of rocks and got real muddy. Then I let Maggie out and she got muddy too. Then my mom got real grumpy.

So keep praying for us. My mom says "this is terrible timing" and I'm not sure what that means, but I know your prayers help.

(12/18)...streaming

2011-12-18T11:24:00.001-05:00

The last candle is lit today. Of course, you know that. I love Advent and I am sad to see this candle lit. It always makes me a little nervous, too, about those things I am making for Christmas which are not yet finished (started). About wrapping, baking, cleaning. I saw New Year's Eve noise makers at the store and had a little heart palpitation.

~~~~~

Tomorrow morning my oldest is having surgery to remove his tonsils. It was not an easy surgery for Faith, who is nine, so I know that it will not be easy for Geoff, who is 22. Sadly the week before Christmas is the only time he can do it, now that he is of the age where he has a job, goes to school and does not get paid for sick time. When faced with all the facts (he's still on our insurance, he can take two weeks off school without losing his job, he will be at home where his mother will nurse him around the clock) he finally conceded to the surgery, which he has known that he has needed for several years. I wish that we had done it when he was 10. Our pediatrician is very conservative, and while that's normally a good thing in my book, this is one case when we should have acted more urgently. If you have a child who possibly needs his or her tonsils out, do it now and don't wait. They (the tonsils) won't get better.

~~~~~

In light of tomorrow's scheduled event, I (hopefully) got all my Christmas shopping and errand running finished and I can stay home and finish (start) a few gifts, bake cookies, and watch Christmas movies. Sounds idyllic? I'll also be nursing a grumpy young adult with a sore throat. Thanks goodness for pain medicine. For me. (wink)

~~~~~

Speaking of baking, I have not yet thought about what cookies I will bake next week. I used to ask my children, but after Thanksgiving (I asked and was sorry that I had) I decided to make what I want to make, which will definitely include the cookies I like (pizzelles, springerle, biscotti). Have you started baking? What do you bake?

~~~~~

I also have not started thinking about the Christmas Eve and Day menus (well, I started but didn't get very far). I need to sit down with paper and pencil and plan. All my family comes on Christmas Eve and I tell what I'd really like to make...reservations.

Normally my brothers (et al) and mother come after they attend early Christmas Eve Mass. My own family normally goes to Mass on Christmas Day because I like waking up knowing that at least part of my day with be focused on the Lord. My husband and teenage children are trying to talk me into 10 p.m. Mass this year. Which means I will cook, serve and clean up dinner, have gift exchange with my family, clean up and leave for Mass, come home and probably clean up again before I put my own children's gifts out. Sound exhausting? I'm not sure I'm going to win the battle though. I may sleep through Mass this year.

What do you do? I admit that my teens tend to gum up my plans every time.

Take care of you

2011-12-16T10:31:00.002-05:00

Yesterday evening, after a day of running around for last minute gifts and extra skeins of yarn (yes, still knitting for Christmas), a ballet lesson (not mine), a run to Joann's for a silver clasp, some cookie tins, I thought, "If I don't stop I'm going to fall over." And so I got a shower and put on my nightgown and sat with a cup of tea for just a few minutes (before I packed a lunch and ironed some shirts). Sigh. It's a never ending treadmill, isn't it? We say we should slow down, but someone always gets gypped when mama slows down.

I think the key is to stop a few times during the day and recharge. This little jar of goo is the perfect pit stop. If you are crafting like I am (oh, my poor fingertips) -- knitting or sewing, making jewelry, your fingers need a little TLC. Take a tiny jar like this jelly jar, and pour in some good oil, olive, almond or apricot kernel (I used olive, hence the greenish tint), and add some sugar (or coarse salt), just enough to make a sludgy mixture. Then add about 10 drops of essential oil. I used lemon eucalyptus and peppermint, but clove and orange would be good, or lemon and orange, lavendar and vanilla, any combination you like. If you don't have essential oils, I highly recommend you keep a few bottles around the house. You can get them at any natural food store. They can be used for lots of things, from cleaning to personal hygiene.

Put the lid on your "sludge" and give it a good shake. Now keep it by the kitchen sink and when you need a pit stop, shake it up, scoop a wee bit out in your hands -- less than a half tablespoon, and rub it all over your hands like you would sudsy soap except keep on rubbing for a good solid minute. Rub between your fingers and give them each a tug. Rub up to wrist on the backs, rub the thumbs good with your palms. Turn on the hot water and rinse it off, but don't use soap. After you gently dry them they will be so soft, and hopefully you'll feel just a little bit recharged.

If you have five minutes (plan ahead because your hands will be a little messy) dampen a hand towel and microwave it for 30 to 60 seconds until it's nice and steamy. After you get your hands all gooey, sit (yes, sit) and slip them between the layers of the towel and just let the heat soak in. When the towel loses its heat, rinse your hands and dry gently.

This is also a nice treat for a friend, so if you have a visitor, make some tea and be sure you both "get the treatment."

New bumper sticker

2011-12-15T09:47:00.000-05:00

Maybe it's the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe (patron of the unborn) or the coming of the Feast of the Nativity...the celebration of Our Lord as a helpless baby...that makes my pro-life hairs stand on end.

Maybe it's just politics in this country, or our fellow Catholic politicians creating policy and voting for policy that does nothing to protect the unborn, despite their religious "claims."

At any rate, I created a new bumper sticker and soon it will be on the back of my mini van along with my "pray the rosary for the unborn" sticker. It takes the sticker I created a few years ago, Peace in the Womb, and adds the caveat "before all peace." It was inspired by several discussions with my children about the hypocrisy of a country which believes in peace (at all cost), but also believes that it's fine for a mother and her doctor to kill the life within her -- the ultimate war.

You can see my other bumper stickers here -- just in case you are in the market.

My little drummer boy

2011-12-13T10:08:00.019-05:00

Noah's band concert was last night. Unlike many schools, at St. C, band is a class, not an extracurricular activity. Unfortunately, that means a lot of kids don't participate because giving up one period in a school day is more than they can manage (you must give up study hall, PE or an extra language) and the band is small (the poor choir this year has only eight boys). They didn't sound too bad though, especially the percussion section, in which Noah plays. In this song he is in the back left at the drum set. The song is titled "Gettysburg" (from the motion picture soundtrack) but this is just a small bit. The loud sharp drums are him.

Mama has to brag just a little, ya know.

43-49/52

2011-12-12T16:24:00.000-05:00

52 weeks of daily life in pictures: trials and celebrations,

the extraordinary and mundane --
whatever is unique to the week.

Wow, I skipped a few weeks. I don't think I'll try this little project again next year. I overestimated the exciting activity that goes on in my house. Or possibly I just didn't want to bore you to death. Or maybe I just didn't pick up my camera as much as I hoped.

Anyway, last one before Christmas. Hopefully I'll have a few more during Christmas week before the end of the year. Can you believe that? The end of the year just around the corner.

Back in mid-fall, Noah and Faith were goofing in the back yard. Faith pretended all day to be a Native American. I love this picture because even the dog looks goofy.

Doug spent one Saturday cutting down a few trees (he also felled the fence, not pictured). I love how it looks with all the moss that had grown on the shady side of the tree.

A log ring for the swing set, at Faith's request.

The two felled trees.

Two new chairs for the family room. I went shopping with the intent to buy black or brown fabric -- never red, and never leather. But I love them. We all do. What possessed me?

Faith doing her reading from one.

Twenty six years on November 16, and a dozen pretty reds.

The annual St. Elizabeth of Hungary Crown Cake.

The three Thanksgiving Day tables -- the best part.

Doug putting up the Christmas lights -- the boys promised they would do it but Doug wouldn't let them up on the ladder. When he got his big ladder out he noticed that the cushions for the ends (whatever those things are called) were missing. Hmmm. Anyway, here's a close up so you can see how he improvised:

Looks like a real fireman's ladder!

(no, he's not a real fireman)

A treat for the church office on St. Nicholas day. The ladies at the church office are some of the most appreciative people.

My own St. Nicholas tea -- Twining Christmas tea and Speculatius cookies.

O Sanctissima

2011-12-12T09:07:00.000-05:00

I need to put up my last 52 weeks post before Christmas, but while we school today, you can enjoy this beautiful song about Our Lady, as we celebrate her feast of Guadalupe today.

I watched The Bells of St. Mary's last night, so I admit that in my head I have Bing Crosby crooning this song rather than this beautiful choral version, but it's all beautiful when it's for Our Lady.

Just two observations on this...

2011-12-10T14:47:00.000-05:00

...Saturday before Gaudete Sunday (I'm saving my joy for tomorrow).

1) If God gave us children as sassy nine-year-olds, or sluggish, lazy teens, instead of sweet, cuddly infants, the human race would have died out thousands of years ago. Duh.

2) The only thing worse than putting the lights on the Christmas tree is a stomach virus.

Both of these observations were made while I was putting the lights on the Christmas tree. All the other members of my family were: in time out; playing on an electrical toy/device; or outdoors making the dog bark, utterly ruining my Christmas music, and hence mood indoors.

So...what are you doing on this pre-Gaudete Sunday?

(12/9)...streaming

2011-12-09T14:46:00.001-05:00

AKA: Confessions of an impatient, stubborn, German woman

First things first. The doctor did not come to any frightening conclusions at Joshua's appointment today, thank goodness. He wanted to touch base after Joshua experienced what seemed to be an authentic migraine this week, this following 10 days or so of consistent headache.

Backing up, on Monday the doctor told us that he thought Joshua's ten-day headache was from analgesic rebound. He told Joshua that once finals were over he wanted him to stop taking any pain medication and tough it out for two weeks. Then the next day he had his first migraine. And so the doctor wanted to see him again. Long story short (or maybe short story long) he gave him a prescription for any future migraines and told him to stick out with no Advil/Tylenol, etc. I sort of squealed on Joshua and told the doctor that he is really worried about the headache (because he has been surfing WebMD, duh), and the doctor asked Joshua if he's worried that he has a tumor. Of course he is. Isn't that what any one would think after having a ten-day headache that no medication will touch? Yes, according to the doctor that is what normal people think. So he put his mind at ease that he has no neurological symptoms indicating a brain tumor.

Sorry, that was totally a short story long.

~~~~~

Now for true confessions of an impatient knitter. That hat I featured in this week's Yarn Along is gone -- as in, in the trash.

I finished it this morning after we came home from the doctor, while my daughter was doing math and I was halfheartedly listening to her pleas for help (she pleas for help all the time so don't think I was being completely heartless).

I was down to two or so rows until I was finished and I really wanted to be finished -- too many other things to do (or maybe too much black coffee). Anyway, I finished, tied off the top from the inside and then decided to look a little more closely at one spot that I noticed was not a good weave. From the last black row to the gray the yarn had come loose and there was a gap. The problem was, no matter how I pulled on the loose end, nothing tightened.

You know where this is going, right?

I fiddled and fiddled and then I fiddled a little more roughly. Then I decided it had to come apart and I had to rip down to that spot and re-knit the top of the hat.

But I had finished it off so securely it would not come apart. So then I grabbed the scissors.

Yes, I did.

And I snipped and then I slashed and then I threw it in the trash and took the trash bag out to the cans.

True confessions.

The moral of this story is, if you have knitting envy and you just want to recreate the image of the peaceful, contented knitter, sitting by the picturesque window, sipping her tea and wondering how life could ever be this good, you can now give that image over to the slasher. Yes, that's me. The stubborn, impatient, German knitting slasher.

Not a pretty picture. Let's just hope she has enough yarn to knit that hat again. Tonight. One fell swoop, whadya say?

(12/8)...streaming

2011-12-08T20:32:00.003-05:00

Happy Feast of the Immaculate Conception. I love this feast, not only because it's Mary's day (and I consecrated myself to her last year on this day!), but because today is all about salvation. Mary was saved from hell the same as all of us, except she was saved before she was even conceived. What a beautiful and complex mystery. On days like today I think there is just nothing like being Catholic. Oh, and the music...happy sigh.

~~~~~

Advent is just flying by, don't you think? I mean, my goodness, three days to Gaudete Sunday. Makes me quiver in my boots. Well...if I had boots. Must start wrapping and finish shopping. ASAP.

~~~~~

And speaking of gifts, for the first time in our 26-year marriage, my sweetheart and I exchanged Christmas gifts on St. Nicholas Day. My sweetheart suggested that we do it, and I'm not certain if it was because he was excited for what he bought me or excited to get what he asked for. Frankly, the gift exchange between the two of us on Christmas Day is often very "squished in" between the children opening gifts and a meal of some sort after Mass. It always feels like an after thought, so I am really glad he suggested it.

And so you ask, what did I get?

got

one

these:

It's awesome. I bought Doug an iPad for his birthday a few weeks ago, and so we now, essentially, have two pads. We almost never, ever buy these kinds of things, so I don't imagine we'll do it again for like 26 years. I was a real hold-out on the Kindle, didn't want to read any book on an electronic device, but my son Geoffrey bought one with his birthday money as soon as they came out and over Thanksgiving he sold me. The only thing that still bugs me about it is that when I buy an e-book, I can't share it. I always pass my books on -- it justifies me spending the money. But being Amazon Prime members, I can borrow books, and there are quite a number of free titles available.

~~~~~~

Last night I was browsing through apps on the Kindle and came across Words With Friends. Oh my. We are all addicted and even the kids have games going with various people, including their grandma. How fun to play Scrabble with grandma, whenever you want.

Do you play? Are you addicted? I am hoping it wears off, but not for a month or so, because it's so fun. And I really stink at Scrabble. If you play, find me -- I'm scmom4. I'd love to play!

I'm off to work on some rosaries, and knitting, and rosaries, and to check my Words W/ Friends!

PS (like 12 hours post): Please remember my Joshua in prayer, if you would. We are off to the doctor again this morning. A migraine broke the normal pattern of his headaches and, I think, changed the doc's thinking in regard to what is causing them.

Yarning Along...

2011-12-07T14:26:00.014-05:00

...with Ginny at Small Things.

Today I am working on a hat for my nephew. It's my second hat in a week, though a different pattern than the other. The teenage boys (other than my own) are getting hats and cash for Christmas this year. That seems to be all teenage boys want these days, besides teenage girls.

I have never knit this hat pattern before but I like it -- other than the changing colors, but then that's what makes it fun (to wear), right? Speaking of changing colors, I wonder, do you weave your loose ends in as you knit or do it at the end? There was so much changing of colors in this pattern that I finally stopped and untangled all the ends and wove them in. The patterns always tell you to do it at the end, but sometimes I can't stand looking at the mess anymore.

My colors are Knitpicks Shine Worsted in Robot, Black and Serrano. In my house, and with my nephews, those colors are scarlet and gray (and black).

My read is The Immortal Life of Henrietta Black by Rebecca Skloot. I am only a few chapters in but it is fascinating reading. Just a little hint, Henrietta Black is the donor of (unbeknownst to her) the first immortal human cells grown outside the human body. The story is hers and her family's and that of medical science since 1951. It is amazing to me that it has only been 60 years since science first began growing cells outside of the body. Her cells are still alive today, though she has been dead for 60 years.

Faith and I are feeling a little under the weather today, so we are having tea and Cinnamon toast. Faith likes Candy Cane, but I am really enjoying Twinings Christmas Tea. They had me at the cloves. Mmmmm.

Join Ginny for more knits and yarns.

Come to me

2011-12-07T11:06:00.000-05:00

Jesus said to the crowds:

"Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,

and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,

for I am meek and humble of heart;

and you will find rest for yourselves.

For my yoke is easy, and my burden light." Mt 11:28-30

December Daybook

2011-12-05T16:40:00.006-05:00

Outside my window...

...rain, rain rain. It's been raining for a good 24 hours now without stopping. The creek is way up. It's a good thing it wasn't very cold or we would be snowed in!

I am thinking...

...about so much my head could explode:

college kids' finals this week

St. Nicholas Day tomorrow -- I usually try to take treats to the church office but I am not very well prepared this year

How many, many Christmas gifts I have yet to buy (order). I joined Amazon Prime to save on shipping -- these kids all want some sort of electronic or electronic game, so I am hopeful I will quickly recoup my costs. I have also obtained many gifts on Etsy -- and some really great and really unusual gifts. The shipping is really reasonable for most shops.

How many Christmas gifts I have yet to craft. Oh my.

I am thankful for....

...that Joshua's doctor thinks his headaches are most likely rebound headaches. Two weeks without any pain medication is the treatment. Praying that at the end of two weeks he is headache free.

...hot, (strong) black coffee, always

From the lesson plans...

...back to the grindstone. We stray, we come back, we stray, we come back...finishing up our "unit" on the Pilgrims and moving forward with Colonial America. If I didn't already say so "I love Our Pioneers and Patriots." Love it (I'm pretty sure I already said that). Taking a wee break from science right now and bulking up on Advent/Christmas reading. Carpe diem.

From the kitchen...

...tonight Oven Baked BBQ Chicken, mashed potatoes, sliced fresh pears. I need to bake Speculatius Cookies tonight, too.

I am wearing...

...khaki trousers, a heavy, brown, cotton turtleneck and brown patent leather clogs, bronze Our Lady of Guadalupe earrings.

I am creating...

...this hat for my nephew Bobby (in Buckeye stripes). Last night I finished this hat (in Buckeye stripes) for my nephew Sean (I had a heck of a time with that hat and do not recommend the pattern -- email me if you want the nasty details). Hats and cash they get this year. I have 13 knotted Seven Sorrows chaplets in the works, eight wired tenners, two bracelets, one pair of earrings, and a bronze Seven Sorrows chaplet in the works in the line-up, too. Sounds like a song there.

Yesterday I made Faith's new stocking that she just had to have before tonight (we use stockings for St. Nicholas day and Christmas).

Your eyes are not deceiving you -- it is pink and green

the stockings were hung...

I am reading...

...The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. It's a library book so I need to put it ahead of some others. I started it last night in bed (by flashlight app on my phone) and had a hard time putting it down. Good stuff.

I am hoping...

...that Joshua's headaches go away.

I am hearing...

...Faith in the kitchen humming to herself. She wants to clean the kitchen floor, on her hands and knees. I have no idea what has come over her, unless she is playing a role (Cinderella) and that's my guess.

Around the house...

...Laundry and laundry. No Christmas decorations save the outdoors lights the boys put up on Saturday (before the deluge began). We used blue and white lights outdoors for the first time in our married life and I love them. We always used blue when I was a kid, and they remind me of the Blessed Mother. Totus Tuus, Maria.

I am going...

...to Mass on Thursday and maybe one store for Christmas items. I have pretty much vowed not to step foot into store, but I can't get cheap shipping on everything. I think UPS should have a membership plan so one could get "free" UPS shipping all year. Shall I write them a letter?

One of my favorite things...

...hot cocoa (real hot cocoa) with whipped cream on cold, rainy days.

I am praying for...

...my children, especially Noah, Joshua and Geoffrey.

...our priests and all religious

...several soldiers

...my father-in-law

...Uncle Walt

...all of the babies whose mothers are contemplating abortion this week

Plans for the rest of the week...
...school and home -- my vocation

Quote of the Day...read today in Faith's religion book, so beautiful

"Wherever you go I will go,

wherever you lodge I will lodge.

Your people shall be my people

and your God, my God.

Where you die I will die,

and there be buried.

May the LORD do thus to me, and more, if even death separates me from you!” Ruth 1:16-17

Quiet Advent

2011-12-04T10:20:00.001-05:00

I've been quiet here, busy knitting and beading (and ordering online), and praying (Hail and blessed be the hour...). We are observing Advent (torturing my children by not allowing Christmas decorations, movies, songs yet) and today I am sharing our Advent table blessing, which replaces our standard "Bless us O Lord."

Leader (dad):

Blessed are You, Lord, God of all creation;

in the darkness and in the light.

Blessed are You

in this food and in this sharing.

Blessed are You as we wait in joyful hope

for the coming of Our Savior, Jesus Christ.

All respond:

For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are Yours, now and forever.

Leader:

Come, Lord Jesus!

All:

Come, quickly!

Source: Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers

Yarning along...

2011-11-30T17:29:00.001-05:00

...with Ginny @ Small Things.

Happy feast of St. Andrew, dear friends. The Scottish shortbread just came out of the oven and shortly the Tuna Noodle Casserole will go in. Today was grocery shopping day, so I'm getting a late start on Yarn Along, as you might be able to tell by the evening light on my photo.

I finished Faith's Tiny Tea Leaves Cardigan yesterday and blocked it last night. I was a little disappointed yesterday with the way it looked before I blocked it. I always underestimate the magic of blocking. It softened up beautifully and all the stitches (well, most) evened out wonderfully. The yarn is KnitPicks Swish worsted in cornmeal. I have to find two buttons in my button stash and then it will be all done. I'll try to get a shot of her wearing it before next week. I already cast on a hat for my nephew for Christmas, because it's the mad season of trying to knit fast enough to give homemade gifts.

I am still reading Those Who Saw Her, only because my bedtime reading has been drastically cut by my late night knitting. I am enjoying it and it is a good companion for me to our homeschooling studies of Marian apparitions with the coloring book series by Mary Fabyan Windeatt.

I have to tell you, however, that I will always associate this sweater with the British mini-series Wives and Daughters. I watched the whole series one day last week before Thanksgiving (it felt beautifully indulgent to do so, since I should have been cleaning!) and knit the whole while. I loved the series, and if you like Jane Austen-esque films (this film's writing was not quite as lyrical as a Jane Austen, but similar in many ways) you will love it, and especially if you like this Pride and Prejudice you will find many of the same actors.

Off to enjoy a feast day dinner...join Ginny for more knits and yarns.

A chaplet winner

2011-11-30T10:28:00.002-05:00

The winner of the St. Andrew chaplet is Dessi from Life with Small Blessings. Let me know just where to send your little chaplet, Dessi, and I'll get it in the mail.

For those who did not win, but would like a chaplet, I have two styles available in my Etsy shop.

PS For a printable copy of the prayer, you can go to Joyfilled Family, or Under Her Starry Mantle. Lovely.

St. Andrew Chaplet: a giveaway

2011-11-28T16:21:00.004-05:00

Hail and blessed be the hour and moment

in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary,

at midnight, in Bethlehem, in piercing cold.

In that hour, vouchsafe, O my God!

to hear my prayer and grant my desires,

through the merits of Our Saviour Jesus Christ,

and of His Blessed Mother. Amen.

Beautiful prayer, isn't it? Prayed fifteen times a day, from November 30 -- the feast of St. Andrew -- until Christmas, it is longer than the nine-hour/day novena, but I imagine it makes it much more likely that your prayers will be heard. I'll be praying. Join me?

This little chaplet makes it easier to keep track of your prayers, and I move a little hook each time I pray. I'll give this little chaplet away on Wednesday -- November 30, and you can pray on your fingers until it arrives in the mail. Just leave your name and contact info in the comment box (please make sure I can access an email address or I won't put your name in the hat -- I will check).

A new day

2011-11-27T10:27:00.005-05:00

I don't remember being so excited to get to Mass.

I know that some Catholics will come to Mass today with a closed spiritual mind, but mine is wide open and anxious for the changes, new words, new prayers. It feels like a wedding or a baptism -- all fresh and new.

How are you feeling? Have you already experienced it?

And may I ask for prayers for our family's favorite priest, our friend, Fr. Mike? His father had a heart attack this morning (or late last night) and I am certain he is torn between his vocation as a son and one of the biggest days of his vocation as a man of God.

Updated to add: It was wonderful. It was so beautiful. It was like a step back in time, but such a good step. We sang the Sanctus and the Agnus Dei and saw changes beyond the Missal changes, but they were all so beautiful. As Sarah said in the comments -- I am so grateful to be a Catholic today.

Is there such a thing as a random question?

2011-11-26T10:51:00.001-05:00

Last week my second son texted me a question. It started with "random question, mom."

Hmm.
(Remember this is the son with the girlfriend. They have been together for a year and a few months.)

The question: "Do we (we?) have a ring that I would give to my wife, when I ask her to marry me?"

Answer: No.

Next question: Our family doesn't have an heirloom ring?

Answer: No, your ancestors were poor. Sorry.

~~~~

Two days later he came home and said, "This is really random mom (uh oh), but did you know that the baby boomer generation really was not a result of soldiers coming home from the war? I learned in history class today that it was actually the result of a lot of young women being promiscuous and getting pregnant out of wedlock. Of course, they got married right away so most people didn't know.

(I had started to become a little concerned at that time but decided just to eat it, or let it eat me as the case may be.)

~~~~~

The next evening at dinner he said, "Hey mom, I learned in psych class today that babies who were put up for adoption years ago would develop an attachment disorder because they were placed in beds and there was no one to hold them. Isn't that sad? Those poor babies."

(We subsequently had a discussion about attachment disorders, and how psychology professors don't always teach complete information. Pft.)

~~~~~

Now, following those three random conversations, to what conclusion would you have come (jumped)? The same one I came (jumped) to?

I let it eat me for two days before I finally just asked. And, thank God, the answer was, "No."

Quick Takes

2011-11-25T13:41:00.001-05:00

Joining Jen for Quick Takes today.

-1-

I am going to be really awful and say I am thankful that Thanksgiving is over. Last night I was thinking that paper plates and tables set in the garage is not such a bad idea.

-2-

This morning I am not have any sugar-coated memories of yesterday. I felt like a chef at a Thanksgiving buffet. Or possibly the mat on which the chef stands.

I have no illusions that the holiday is about me, but my own brother said neither hello, goodbye, nor thanks-for-dinner-sis. Hmmm.

-3-

By the time we said grace I fear I had none left. I prayed to God, "I don't care if the turkey is dry, just let me be nice." Is this the curse of every hostess of the large Thanksgiving feast?

-4-

My youngest son, a teenage boy, saved me by saying "Mom, the tables look beautiful." Today he is my favorite son. Not really but he definitely is getting extra gravy on his leftover stuffing.

-5-

No shopping for me today, unless you count armchair shopping -- my favorite kind. I ordered some stocking stuffers this morning. Eleven days until the feast of St. Nicolas.

-6-

And since we're talking about gifts, my oldest son brought home his Kindle Fire and I think I might need Santa to bring me one this year. It's very cool and I have overcome my dislike of reading on an electronic screen -- you can curl up in a chair with it just like a book. It's pretty dang expensive, and my husband is not known to really ask for suggestions, but I'm a wishin' and hopin'.

-7-

And speaking of books, here's a tip for you: Treasure Chest for Tweens is great resource for choosing super awesome and safe books for your favorite young people (they call them "tweens").

The best part

2011-11-23T21:42:00.002-05:00

the day before Thanksgiving, table not yet set

I had to run into the pharmacy today to pick up a prescription and the pharmacy tech who was on duty is a woman my husband knows (so she is very friendly to me). She asked if I am cooking tomorrow and we shared numbers of guests, who's cooking and all that jazz. She said it's so much work, and now her family just has a potluck and she roasts a turkey. I mentioned to her that it's really not all the cooking that takes so much time for me, but the getting the house ready, making sure all the best linens, china, silver, crystal are ready to go. She replied that her family just uses paper plates, and they eat in the garage so they can squirt it off later. She's a really nice woman, and I really am not judging her. We all do it differently and no way is more "right" than another.

But for me, for me, it's my mother's china, and my mother-in-law's stemware, the best linens, the candles in glass, the cornucopia, and turkey water pitcher that make this holiday so wonderful. I just wouldn't do it if I limited myself to paper plates and tables set up in the garage.

All I can say is, if you're not using something special for tomorrow's dinner...glasses that used to be on another woman's Thanksgiving table, china that someone else used to load with their huge Thanksgiving meal, linens that you washed and ironed for a loved one to wipe his mouth, a butter dish that you polished and shined just so someone else would feel that you went out of your way to make Thanksgiving special, I urge you to change the way you do it. It's the best part.

Double trouble

2011-11-23T09:46:00.000-05:00

...on this busy day before Thanksgiving.

Faith fooling with daddy's new iPad.

Just a little tip...

2011-11-22T18:53:00.001-05:00

...if you have college-age lovies coming home for Thanksgiving. Send them back with a care package for when they get sick with a cold this winter: Puffs Vicks tissues (what did we do without them?), Vick's rub, cherry Luden's, Dayquil/Nyquil, lemon drops, tea bags...all the things that make them comfy when they are sick at home.

Ok, you asked for it

2011-11-22T09:49:00.020-05:00

Well, a few of you did: we have here one silly girl and one crazy dog. Poor quality, but you get the idea. Now you understand why I confiscated the harmonica.

Thankful on Monday

2011-11-21T11:41:00.001-05:00

Blogger is being a big butt to me. It keeps kicking me off mid-post. Don't know what's up with that. I switched back to the old format, so we'll see how this works.

Just checking in on this busy pre-Thanksgiving Monday to tell you a few things I am thankful for.

I am thankful that, unlike some people, I don't have to kill a turkey this week to eat a turkey this week (not that Jennie has to kill a turkey, but that's kind of the point behind raising them, right?).

I am thankful that my family likes the same dishes for Thanksgiving every year. This year I don't have to use any recipes. Yeah!

And I don't think I ever realized before how inexpensive Thanksgiving dinner is, even if you have to buy a turkey (which I got for 9 cents if you take off my Giant Eagle food perks). Thankful for cheap dinner.

Now, Faith and the dog are having a good time this morning with a harmonica. Faith plays and the dog sings. She really does. And I'm going to go now and confiscate the harmonica. And do some laundry. And go grocery shopping for cranberries and potatoes and butter. Yum.

Happy Thankful Monday.

Yarning Along...

2011-11-16T20:21:00.001-05:00

...with Ginny at Small Things.

I am a little late to the Yarn Along today but I am excited to share about this little sweater. It's my 26th wedding anniversary today and my beloved has been home all to celebrate (cramping my blogging style).

I cast on a Tiny Tea Leaves Cardigan for Faith on Saturday morning before I left for a road trip to see my grandma in Cincinnati. She's 95 years old and Faith and I love to see her every chance we get. My mom was going, so Faith and I road along -- four generations of German women together. Good stuff. And since my mom was driving I was free to knit for two hours each way. Yea!

I got a lot accomplished on my little sweater but then on the way back I realized I had skipped two rows completely and had to rip it back. Ugh. Since then I made quite a bit of headway and only had to rip a small section back because I forgot what I was doing halfway through a row. I was doing k1fb and halfway through the row I started knits. Tell me you do that, too.

When I ordered the yarn I really thought it would be a lighter yellow (KnitPicks Swish worsted in cornmeal). It's not quite as dark as it looks in the picture (it was really gray here today, especially this morning when I took the photo), but it is more gold than yellow. And the yoke is very bumpy, even though my stitches are pretty even. I hope it evens out after blocking and isn't a result of the yarn. I wanted something a little less delicate than the Madelintosh, but I can see there will be another one of these in my future knit with the Madelintosh yarn. Maybe blue? It's a fun pattern to knit and relatively easy (though does require actual reading of each line in the pattern. ah hem).

My read is still Those Who Saw Her, a book about Marian apparitions, though I am a bit (just a bit) farther along.

Join Ginny for more reads and knits.

(11/14)...streaming

2011-11-14T17:28:00.001-05:00

I just came home from being in the car for an hour or so and my head isready to explode. I have so many projects going on I don't know what to do atany moment and when I can’t work on anything (like when I am in the car) itmakes me nuts. I came home, threw in a load of laundry and sat down to thinkabout something else.

~~~~~

I have Christmas gifts on the brain, but Thanksgiving is next week and Ihave not really planned anything. Eighteen people for dinner, but no plan.Anything wrong there? The only thing I have done is order thesecute little favor containers to hold candies. I don't think my guests would be too happy, however, if all I serve iscandies.

And I ordered some yarn and some needles to knit some hats before Christmas.I no longer can think of anything to buy the teenagers in my extended family,so they get a knit hat and cash (or scarves for the girls). I just need someextended time to sit and knit. I have the last three inches of asweater for Doug's nephew to finish, and then over the weekend I caston a TinyTea Leaves Cardigan for Faith. Lots ofknitting ahead of me.

I have four out of eight St. Michael chaplets to finish for a man who isgiving them to his children --- very sweet. I don’t mind the job, but feelsomewhat like a manufacturer making eight of the same. And I think I am losingmoney on them, but hopefully will gain some Divine graces for the favor. In thecar I remembered that I want to make a tenner rosary for all of Noah’steachers, too. The list is growing and growing. I hope my family doesn’t wantmeals before Christmas.

~~~~~

Is anyone else having trouble with blogger? I start a blog post and then apop-up window tells me Blogger logged out, and I can’t save or publish oranything. Pft. Makes me feel like I should maybe be doing something else. I amnow composing on a Word document. Hopefully it will all transfer with thelinks.

~~~~~

If you don’t read JennieCooper’s blog I highly recommend youread her story of Conversion. It starts here, and the second installment is here.And while you’re there, remind her that weare waiting (patiently) for the next installment. Good stuff.

~~~~~

I have been feeling very unsettled about school lately, We’ve had day afterday of fitting school in around life and I need to get back to a structuredday. Every one who homeschools does it differently, and many mothers feel thatlife is school, but I have a need for orderly school – extended periods of timespent with books. Maybe it’s my own inadequacy, but it’s real nevertheless. Ineed several days in a row when I know my daughter has learned somethingbesides life skills. It’s time to rethink the schedule we have been maintaininglately and start putting books before anything else. Between now and Christmasthings could get real nuts otherwise.

~~~~~

Every night when we say our grace at dinner we ask for prayers for ourfamily and special intentions we may temporarily have. This month I have addedthe prayer “May the souls of the faithful departed, with the mercy of God, restin peace” and it feels really nice to remember those who have gone before usevery day. At night I always ask for any souls who have been released frompurgatory as a result of our prayers, to remember us in prayer. Can we everhave enough prayer?

~~~~~

Alright, my head is still ready to explode, so I’m going to prepare dinner.Hamburgers with blue cheese and bacon. Mmmm. We are currently under a tornadowatch and Doug is going shopping after dinner for a snow blower. It’s a weird timeof year.

A Big Movie Review Post

2011-11-11T16:19:00.001-05:00

How's that for a catchy title? (wink)

Ever since Netflix made its big switch to separate the fees for DVD rentals and streaming, and I made the unilateral decision to keep both (Doug does not usually watch movies and has no interest either way), I decided we better use the heck out of both choices to really get our money's worth. Well, you know Hollywood and most of what comes out in movie form is just garbage, so it's often hard to find enough worthwhile movies to really make it work. Fortunately lately I hit the jackpot and so I'm here to share my picks.

First up is Amish Grace. This is a little bit like a Hallmark movie -- not a huge budget film, but a great story of forgiveness with the grace of God. The film is based on the book which is based on the true story of the October 2006 shooting in an Amish schoolhouse in Pennsylvania. I don't know the details of the shooting to know if the details of the film are authentic, but the reality of modern day culture encroaching on the lifestyle of the Amish is very real, and very believable. I like the young woman, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, who stars as a young victim's mother. Some parts are inappropriate for children due to the nature of the story.

Next up is one of the best films I have seen in years: Of Gods and Men. This is the incredible true story of a small group of Trappist monks living in Algeria, in a Muslim community, who are faced with Muslim extremists in the community and are eventually kidnapped by them. The photography is beautiful, and the acting is very touching, sensitively showing the courage and love of God among the nine monks -- their doubts and ultimate sacrifice. Great, great film Again not appropriate for children to to subject matter (subtitled from French).

The Music Never Stopped. This is totally a movie I would not have watched if I had known what it was really about (I think the synopsis I read was not very accurate). Oddly enough, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's a true story, based in the eighties, about a middle-aged (slightly older) couple living alone who learn that their son, who ran away years ago, was found with a brain tumor and no recent memories. Julia Ormand plays a therapist who helps reach him with music he loved from the sixties. As I am not a music buff, that aspect of the film was lost on me, but the story was a really good one -- about forgiveness and unconditional acceptance.

The Conspirator. Based on the story of the men who conspired to kill President Lincoln and the only woman to take the fall. A great historical film that tells the story of the woman, Mary Surratt, who gave her life to protect her family. Remarkably the film depicted her faith in God in a positive light. I really like the young man who plays Frederick Aiken, the man who defended Surratt.

The Grace Card. This is another sort of Hallmark-style movie, but I really liked it. A lot. And I talked my family into watching it, which they did with very little criticism (which is saying a lot) and they all said it was a "good movie."It's a story about a rough police officer, who has given up on God, partnered with a preacher/cop. They learn that God gives us what (who) we need, even if we don't want it. I won't give away the ending, but you will be glad you watched this one. Probably not for children younger than ten and there is some language if your teens are watching, but the message outweighs the language. Watch it first if you have any doubts, and you'll gladly watch again with the kids.

Mars Needs Moms. I am not a big animated film fan and will really only watch them under duress (girls' night with my daughter), but this one was not bad at all. The animation was like that in Polar Express and Joan Cusack was the voice of the mom, so that was a good start. It delivered a good message about obedience, and love, and appreciation for mom's hard work.

Mrs. Brown. This is not a new film, but I was so glad to have stumbled across it. It's the story of Queen Victoria after the death of her husband Prince Albert, for whom she mourned deeply. Mr. Brown, a member of the household staff at Balmoral Castle, supposedly brought the Queen out of her mourning and back to public life. The two became very close (hence the name Mrs. Brown) and he risked his life for hers on several occasions. It was very touching film, in the romantic style of a Jane Eyre style film, and I really enjoyed Judi Dench as the queen.

A Shine of Rainbows. Another film I stumbled across -- it is the very sweet story of a young Irish orphan adopted by a beautiful young wife. A shy young boy, he comes out of his shell and quickly learns to love his new mother. The story takes a tragic turn with her illness, but ends very well. Aidan Quinn, whom I like immensely, plays the reluctant father. It was sad with the mother's illness, but other than that not objectionable for children.

Yarning Along

2011-11-09T15:00:00.001-05:00

Joining Ginny at Small Things for reads and knits.

I wanted to post the pictures of the little bonnets I made (found here on my ravelry page) -- I am finally almost finished with the second bonnet. I did something I have never done before -- made an I-cord to thread through the eyelet holes for the ties. I have a few inches left to knit on the second I-cord and then I can deliver the bonnets to my two little neighbors. Cute, cute.

My read is Those Who Saw Her, a book about Marian apparitions. I am not far into it, as there hasn't been much reading time lately.

Go see Ginny for more fun knits and reads.

Not Reader

2011-11-08T13:48:00.000-05:00

Well, if you use Google Reader I guess you have figured out by now that "they" made some changes. I really just started using Reader this past summer. I used to just use my own list on my sidebar and click over to each blog. When I'm sitting at the computer it's not a big deal -- our internet service is fast and it's as quick as scrolling down in reader (and I am much more inclined to comment -- always a good thing). But when I'm on my phone, it's not so fast -- many more steps involved, now that my blog is set for mobile use and so are many others.

I really used Reader, however, because I like the "share" button and when you wanted to save something, it was oh-so-easy to do. I curse Google for deleting the "share" button. Like the grocery store manager who says he is being more efficient by moving things around, I know it's because they think I will buy more trying to find my way around the store again. I absolutely never pick up anything else, just to spite them. Google has some incentive, I'm certain, but I'm not buying whatever it is.

I (hopefully) moved all my favorites back to my sidebar and now I'll read blogs the way I did before. And I started a new blog to save my favorite stuff. It's just as easy as some of the other methods and ya know what they say -- "there's more than one way to skin a cat." Poo on you Google.

Daybook

2011-11-07T09:37:00.001-05:00

Outside my window...

...mostly gray with a few blue patches, cool and still. The birds are busy, I heard their busy sounds when I let Maggie in. She was down in the creek again -- I don't guess I'm ever going to break her habit of drinking from the creek. Blech. Oddly she won't drink from her water bowl unless the water was just placed in it. She will drink from the toilet, however.

I am thinking...

...about the homily our young priest gave yesterday. It was about the True Presence and receiving Holy Communion on the tongue. He related the two, as they are inseparable, and the connection that he made was that receiving Holy Communion on the hand has led many Catholics to stop believing in the True Presence. He said this was a fear when Vatican II gave permission for Communion to be received in the hand. He also made the connection between the percentage of Catholics who believe in the True Presence (30%) and the low numbers of men and women choosing the religious life. Of course, the two would go hand-in-hand. Why would a man become a priest if he did not even believe in the True Presence? I could go on and on about this subject. Doug and I "came back" to receiving Communion on the tongue about seven years ago and Faith received her First Holy Communion on the tongue. It's a serious discussion that needs to be ongoing with our sons. It's something we believe strongly in, but the boys are old enough that it should be their choice to come to Jesus in the Eucharist "as a child."

"Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” How better to become a child than to humble oneself and allow the precious Body of Christ to be placed in one’s mouth?

I am thankful for....

...cool, gray autumn days

...a washing machine and dryer -- I have a lot of loads to do today
...hot, (strong) black coffee, always

From the lesson plans...

...back to the grindstone. We had a busy week last week with three feast days -- Monday, Tuesday and Friday, and they were all good learning days, but not in the book-learning sort of way. Back to the books.

From the kitchen...

...ah, a real problem these days. I wrote here about how my family has, at late, rejected most of my home-cooked meals. Even last evening, I made a wonderful Creamy Italian Chicken Noodle Soup and Rosemary Focaccia and, with the exception of Joshua's girlfriend (living in a dorm gives a child a new view of home-cooked food for certain), they barely ate. I ate two bowls, and it was delicious, but they were, "meh." Doug actually said he would rather eat scrambled eggs every night. And them there is fightin' words. Guess what he's getting tonight (and it was actually on the menu, but he doesn't know that)? I really don't know what to do. Readers of my food blog suggested getting their input, but when I suggested that at dinner they really didn't care to offer input. Any suggestions? Personally I don't want scrambled eggs every night.

I am wearing...

...a black skirt, red and white blouse and black crocs. I never thought I would wear crocs but they really are so comfortable.

I am creating...

...a corduroy jumper, finishing up the last sleeve of a Christmas sweater, and some car rosaries for Doug's aunt

I am reading...

...Those Who Saw Her, a book about Marian apparitions

I am hoping...

...for a working solutions to my meal problem. Maybe I really need a new family? ;-)

I am hearing...

...the birds outdoors.

Around the house...

...lots of laundry and a pile of ironing that never seems to get small.

I am going...

...no big plans this week. To vote tomorrow for certain.

One of my favorite things...

...the smell of an outdoor fire on a cool fall day

I am praying for...

...my children, especially Noah who is still having some adjustment issues.

...our priests and all religious

...several soldiers

...Uncle Walt

...all of the babies whose mothers are contemplating abortion this week

Plans for the rest of the week...
...school and home -- my vocation

Quote of the Day...

"It is You, O Lord, who in an instant so enlighten the humble mind that it comprehends more of eternal truth than could be learned by ten years in the schools, You who teach without noise of words or clash of opinions, without contention of arguments." (Imitation of Christ, III, 43:2,3)

43-44/52

2011-11-04T08:58:00.000-04:00

52 weeks of daily life in pictures: trials and celebrations,

the extraordinary and mundane --
whatever is unique to the week.
Join me if you like.

Faith started ballet lessons. Very exciting. Her first real ballet shoes.

all the kids (and the girlfriend) carving their pumpkins

intense work -- they are creating a cat

I think this is the first year I did not even touch the pumpkins -- they did everything (including the cleaning out) themselves. Of course, I cleaned up the mess. ;-)

it was fun to see the kids-who-think-they-are-not-kids act like little kids

our flower fairy trick-or-treater

The Columbus Dispatch did a story on the neighborhood where Faith trick-or-treated with her cousins. She was "featured" in the article:

"Thethin, delicate princess strode confidently past dueling skeletons and scorpions in the Westervillefront yard, oblivious to the tongues of fire shooting from 23 tiki torches.

After 9-year-old Faith S---- had gathered her Beggars Night candy yesterday at 1110 Bryan Dr.,however, the garage door suddenly opened to reveal a man in black with white makeup.

Music blared as he “played” a fake scythe to the Emerson Lake & Palmer song Karn Evil No. 9.

Come inside; the show’s about to start — guaranteed to blow your head apart.

Behind him in the garage stood his backing band: three skeletal figures, two holding guitars andthe other seated at a keyboard.

Faith shrieked and dashed away."

End of "feature." I guess the writer didn't notice the wings on her back, or maybe didn't think about the fact that princesses don't wear wings. Faith was quite offended that he didn't get her costume right.

When I lit the candles in the jack-o-lanterns I placed a vigil in front of the Blessed Mother and asked for her prayers for the night.

The funny thing is the first trick-or-treaters who came to my door (I was sitting on the porch) were several young boys -- about 12 years old. As they walked up to the porch I heard one say to his buddies, "It's about religion."

Me: What's about religion?

Boy: Halloween

Me: Oh, you mean because it's All Hallow's Eve?

Boy: Yeeeaaahh -- our religion teacher taught us that today in religion class

Me: Well, God bless your religion teacher for teaching religion in religion class
(never one to let a faith-teachable-moment pass)
The reason it is called All Hallow's Eve is because tomorrow is the Feast of All Saint's Day.

Boy: Yeeeaaahh -- that's what she said... something about a vigil

Me: That's right, it's the vigil of All Saints Day and Hallowed means Holy -- all the saints are holy

And then I gave them their candy and let them go, but chuckled at how Our Lady must have been tickled at that wonderful exchange between perfect strangers about our faith

Maggie loves trick-or-treat -- can you see how's she has smudged up the door? Unfortunately she didn't get any sniffs in. She just had to watch.

Faith decorated the house -- I didn't get one decoration out. Of course, I'll have to put them all away. It's funny, the boys would never have decorated -- it's such a girlie thing.

The ghosts and the pumpkins just slid in around all the regular things. I need to teach my daughter about cleaning up before we decorate. Or not.

You probably already saw these, but for the record, our All Saint's Day vigil.

And All Soul's Day with the funeral cards from our loved ones.

If you want to join me in 52 Weeks of Photos, just leave a comment in the com box and I'll come and visit. Thanks.

For all the souls...

2011-11-02T09:48:00.001-04:00

Yesterday we rejoiced with the saints. Today we pray with the souls. Yesterday was play. Today is work. We pray today...for all the souls we hope to see in heaven. Tonight we eat Soul Cakes.

Early this morning I lit the vigil candles and remembered all the souls we lost on this earth and pray we will see again one day. We especially remember: our grandparents, and my father; and some of our more recent losses: our brother Tim, our beloved Jill, our Uncle Ed, young Jimmy, Uncle Tom Basti.

Saints of God, come to their aid!
Hasten to meet them, angels of the Lord!
Receive their souls and present them to God the Most High.

May Christ, who called you, take you to himself;
may angels lead you to the bosom of Abraham.
Receive their souls and present them to God the Most High.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon them.
Receive their souls and present them to God the Most High.

For All the Saints

2011-11-01T20:27:00.000-04:00

Happy Solemnity, dear friends! A glorious feast 'tis.

a few of our favorite named saints

For all the saints, who from their labors rest,
Who Thee by faith before the world confessed,
Thy Name, O Jesus, be forever blessed.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

I Spy...Life (2)

2011-10-30T16:18:00.000-04:00

All things at hand, works in progress, pieces of life.

I spy:

(1) red maple leaves
(2) a flower fairy wreath
(3) pumpkin knife
(4) jack-o-lantern illuminator (aka candle)
(5) candy corn
(6) a box of cough drops
(7) a pretty rose-colored St. Anne chaplet, freshly fabricated
(8) a bonnet on sticks -- almost complete
(9) owls on feather wale -- the brightest fall fabric my daughter could find
(10) a great flick (in all fairness to you I cut off the Netflix logo) -- The Grace Card
(11) pumpkin seeds -- the snack du jour
(12) a pattern for a jumper -- for cutting into the owl featherwale
(13) Colonial Times reading for elementary school
(14) yarn ball
(15) yucky-tasting cough syrup

A great evil and its consequences

2011-10-28T18:47:00.001-04:00

Just a little thinking today, sparked by a homeschool lesson.

After I wrote yesterday's post, Faith and I got down to business and finished up her schoolwork for the day, which included a history lesson. I am using Our Pioneers and Patriots this year, as just a part of her history curriculum, and it is one of my favorite history texts for young people (although I have probably said that about all of Fr. Furlong's history texts).

Faith is currently learning about Colonial times and, in our reading, we came across the subject of slavery. From the text:

"The bringing of slaves to Virginia was a great evil. Later, this evil caused great sorrow not only to slaves and plantation owners but to the nation."

That second sentence gave me pause. Clearly the great sorrow was the Civil War. As I mentioned in yesterday's post, I find the period of the Civil War to be the most frightening period of this country's history. Yes, it was a fascinating period to historians and such, and it has been glamorized to some degree by movie makers. But when you think about the reality of the Civil War, it is chilling. Americans killed Americans by the hundreds of thousands. Imagine your husbands, sons, and brothers fighting a war against husbands, sons and brothers from a neighboring state. War today is not limited to cannons, rifles, and bayonets. It's a gruesome thought.

But then realize how great an evil abortion is -- infinitely more evil than slavery. Slaves were treated inhumanely, but they were permitted to live and breathe and love one another. And eventually many of them were free -- those who lived to see "the end."

The number of slaves prior to the Civil War is estimated by the American Civil War Census Data to be almost 4 million. The number of babies aborted in the United States (according to NRL) since 1973 is over 53 million. The numbers of babies killed by abortion is 13 times the number of slaves who were kept. Our country went to war over slavery (there were some other issues, but most of them came down to the issue of slavery as well), and I wonder when the war will come over abortion.

I wonder if it's possible to abolish abortion without a war. Just as southerners justified the use of slaves, believing it to be right, pro-choicers will never admit that abortion is wrong. Over 53 million women have aborted their infants in this country. If even half of the fathers were a party to it, then almost 80 million people have a vested interested in keeping abortion legal, if only to justify their own actions. Add to that even one parent for half of those women and the number goes over 100 million. Then add those who are parties because their job depends upon it. And then add in those who support the right to abort because their ideology depends upon it. It's not hard to see how half of Americans today believe that abortion should continue to be a right afforded to those who are presently alive.

Sorry to be a downer on a Friday evening, but I've been thinking hard on this subject. Maybe you find this to be extreme thinking, bit I think it's horrifying to imagine what could happen.

Five things homeschooling has taught me

2011-10-27T12:42:00.000-04:00

Jen at Forever, For Always shared Five Things that Homeschooling Taught Me at The Homeschool Classroom this morning. I think most homeschooling mothers would agree that in teaching our children, we learn as much as they do. Maybe not about Math (although I have certainly learned my share) and Spelling, but certainly plenty of academics, as well as about parenting and our children's personalities.

I am sharing the five things that I learned (although, admittedly there are about 5 hundred).

1. The Civil War was the scariest time in our nation's history. Each time I teach my children about the Civil War, whether at home or by helping one of my high schoolers take book notes or study for a test, it frightens me to my core. Foreign terrorists have nothing on Americans vs. Americans. More men were killed in the Civil War than in all wars America has been involved in combined. That's American vs American. North vs South. Pick any cause in this country and find it's opposite cause and you could have a new Civil War. Democrats vs Republicans. Christians vs non-Christians. Poor vs middle class. It's a very scary thought and not enough Americans know their history to see how easily it could happen.

2. One can never be taught too much English. I have been around enough high school students (and read enough FB) to know that children today, including homeschooled children, don't learn enough English (no offense to any of my English teacher friends -- you are only one woman!). Grammar among adults in this country is deplorable. I hope that if my children don't get enough of every other subject, they get more than enough English. I know my own English is not perfect -- I have my share of dangling participles and split infinitives -- but, by and large, I pay attention to my grammar.

3. There are not enough pencils, pens, crayons and erasers in the world for one homeschooling family. Where do they go?

4. Each child learns differently. That fact really should not surprise me, but it does. I always thought (and still do, to some degree) that any number of children born of the same two people and raised by the same two people in the same house, would be fairly similar in personality and learning style. I should know, having four children, ages 22 to nine, that they don't, but yet it always surprises me. Yesterday Faith was working from a Seton Reading Book, which I ordered for her because I always enjoyed the variation in exercises it offered. Yesterday's exercise was to find a matching analogy from a word bank. "Hymn is to him as piece is to _________________; Brook is to river as shower is to __________________." My boys -- both of them -- did not get this type of exercise at all. They didn't see the analogies -- it was just not within them. And they both reacted exactly the same way to this exercise. They hated it; it frustrated them. Faith, on the other hand, loved it. She was giggling in delight as she found the answer to each "riddle."

5. Our faith is so deep there is not enough time in one's entire life to learn it all. I don't think anyone on earth, including our beloved pontiff (no disrespect intended) knows it all. I appreciate homeschooling my children if for no other reason than the time it has given me to learn about my faith. Every saint, every sacrament, every scripture verse -- they are all wonderful and deep and, hopefully, will save my soul. Through wonderful Catholic textbooks (if only our Catholic grade schools would use Catholic textbooks!) I have deepened my faith in God and my love for our Church.

Praying the rosary with reverence

2011-10-26T11:49:00.002-04:00

I have heard one particular episode of Women of Grace Live on the radio twice now and I feel like I am meant to share something I heard which struck me, and has changed the way I pray the rosary.

I heard Fr. Ed (Fr. Edward Sylvia) say that when we pray the Hail Mary during the rosary, we should slow down and pause before the name of Jesus, and even give a bow of the head. Fr. Ed says the name of Jesus should be a speed bump in the Hail Mary, in which we slow down and give the proper reverence to Our Lord.

It really changes the way I pray the rosary -- and it feels good.

40-42/52

2011-10-24T20:24:00.000-04:00

52 weeks of daily life in pictures: trials and celebrations,

the extraordinary and mundane --
whatever is unique to the week.
Join me if you like.

The feast of St. Therese and some lovely mini roses.

Cream Puffs (French dessert) to celebrate St. Therese of Lisieux.

My little drummer boy. Whenever I go downstairs he stops playing, so I had to hold the camera just around the corner on the steps to get a shot of him playing.

A rosary cake (pan of brownies) to celebrate the feast of the Holy Rosary.

My view for a few days after vein surgery -- and that lovely compression stocking. A far as surgeries go, it wasn't too bad -- a good reason to have to sit with one's feet up.

The view from the living room sofa with my feet up -- a gorgeous October sky out there.

My little student has been a little goosey these days -- playing with a pink slinky during a spelling quiz.

Faith and I are reading and coloring this book about Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. I shared with Faith that I have a medal on my rosary that touched the chair that Our Blessed Mother sat in when she appeared to Saint Catherine Laboure.

Noah and his Homecoming date -- this past Saturday evening. Her name is Melissa, and she is my height, which shows how much taller my son is than I.

The infamous limo ride. ;-)

My almost-22-year-old son, Geoffrey, came home for his birthday dinner yesterday. He turns 22 on Wednesday. Impossible to believe!

If you want to join me in 52 Weeks of Photos, just leave a comment in the com box and I'll come and visit. Thanks.

(10/18)...streaming

2011-10-19T12:40:00.005-04:00

Today is the first day of the St. Jude Novena -- surely you have a hopeless cause. Don't we all? I love this Pray More Novenas website -- just enter your email address and they send you a reminder with the novena prayers every day. All you have to do is pray.

Even I can do that.

~~~~~

I think I am beginning to sound like an old lady with a daily update on my ailments, but it is an ever-changing saga! I am still recovering from surgery. I went to the doctor the other day to make sure my "cold" wasn't strep throat (it wasn't) and he "took a look at my leg" and noticed a hard knot in the vein that the surgeon closed. He didn't really say too much, but his concern alarmed me and got me wondering as to whether it was normal and I called the surgeon's nurse. It's apparently not terrifically abnormal, but they wouldn't say it was normal either. To help resolve it, I have to peel the compression hose off four times a day and sit with a wet, hot washcloth on the spot for 15 minutes. Sure, that's doable, right? At least I have to sit down for 15 minutes four times a day.

~~~~~

Speaking of compression hose, have you ever worn them? They.are.so.awful. Fortunately I only have to wear them until I see the surgeon for follow-up next week. Prior to my surgery I had to have a short physical to make certain my body was sound for surgery. I went to the hospital and saw a doctor who does only pre-surgery physicals. I think he must be frustrated by his position because he questioned my surgeon's decision to operate on my leg a number of times. He asked me if I had already tried compression hose as an alternative to surgery. I politely replied that I had, but I really wanted to say, "Look pal, did you ever put on compression hose? I'm 49 years old and I don't want to wear compression hose for the rest of my life." Frankly, if I had one year to live I wouldn't wear compression hose for the rest of my life. They are awful, uncomfortable, hot, and binding. My poor grandma is 95 and wears them because she had bypass surgery twenty-plus years ago. Hers are so tight that she has to put them on with rubber gloves. Really looking forward to that day...

~~~~~

I can't wait until Halloween is over, or as my husband calls it "the culture of death" holiday. I remember Halloween fondly from when I was a kid, but I don't remember all this death and darkness. It was fun when I was younger, dressing up in fun costumes and trick-or-treating, and I feel badly for all the little kids growing up in this culture. This culture that embraces CSI and other graphic "death" media, and that, of course, encompasses abortion -- a woman's-choice-for-death-culture. This love of all that is Halloween in our culture is either a result of abortion acceptance or abortion acceptance is a result of the culture, I can't decide which. Death is just no big deal any more. We see it all around.

My little trick-or-treater is going to be a fairy this year -- a sweet pink-and-green-dancing-with-wings fairy. We're embracing sweet and cute and innocent.

~~~~~

This weekend is my frosh's Homecoming Dance. He says he is going, but as is typical in today's culture -- I am told, he has not actually spoken to his date, asked her in a message on FB and has only messaged her or texted her with my phone since. I tried to force him to call her -- on the phone -- but Doug backed me off saying "it's the way they do things today." I still disagree with it being right. Noah (the frosh) informed me last night that he and his "date" might be riding with another boy and his date in a limo. Doug and I agree that a limo to freshman year Homecoming is way over the top, but I have been told that girls today spend as much on a Homecoming dress as I did on my wedding dress. And considering that my wedding was the first time I rode in a limo (for fun and not a funeral) I guess that is how much life has changed. "Over the top" is my motto here. I truly don't want to know what young people do for the wedding these days. I am planning to call the date's mother and the limo's mother -- I do think I have a right and responsibility there. Right?

(Apparently in my effort to be sarcastic, I was just confusing. I plan to call the mother of my son's date, and the mother of his friend who hired the limo driver. I did not hire the limo driver.)

Giveaway winner

2011-10-19T10:22:00.003-04:00

Faith picked a name from a basket this morning and the winner is...

Catharina de Bononia

Congratulations, Catharina! Send me a note and let me know where to send your tenner!

If you did not win, but are interested in having a tenner made, please send me a note or leave a comment. All my rosaries are created at cost, so you can get a nice tenner for little money. Or check my rosary blog for a rosary available now.

Protect and Pardon...a rosary giveaway

2011-10-16T13:01:00.000-04:00

This month of October is the month of the rosary. If you do not have a regular devotion to praying the rosary -- now is the perfect time to start. The prayers of the rosary and the mysteries are filled with scripture and as such, are a perfect bible study for busy mothers with little time to sit and study Sacred Scripture. There are many forms of scriptural rosary (I have posted before about them here, here, and here), but even without the scripture passages, the rosary teaches us about Christ Jesus, and the prayers, through God and Our Blessed Mother, lead us to Our Lord.

It often seems impossible for busy mothers to have enough quiet time to pray five decades of the rosary each day. Though it is a wonderful gift to make the time for all five decades at once, and scripture if you have extra time, it is often more doable to pray one decade at a time. By keeping a tenner rosary -- a string of beads -- ten Aves and one Pater -- in ones pocket or handbag, the time for a rosary a day can usually be found -- sitting in the car waiting for children, rocking a baby to sleep, or even waiting for a load of laundry to finish spinning in the dryer.

Today I am hosting a giveaway of one tenner rosary. I made this rosary with 20 gauge non-tarnishing silver wire -- it's very durable. The Aves are 6mm brown Czech glass beads and the Pater is a beautiful, iridescent brown, opaque, glass bead. The medal is a silver St. Michael the Archangel medal -- St. Michael, protect us -- and the crucifix is a Pardon crucifix. See the information below about St. Michael and the Pardon crucifix.

For a chance to win the rosary, leave your name and a way to contact you (please be sure to do this so I can find you later -- the internet is a huge place!) in the comment box by Tuesday at midnight and I'll announce a winner on Wednesday. Alternately, you can email me -- my address is in the sidebar.

~~~~~

St. Michael:

On Sunday April 24th 1994, Pope John Paul II recommended this prayer be usedby all Catholics as a prayer for the Church when he said:

'"May prayer strengthen us for the spiritual battle we are told about in the Letter to the Ephesians: 'Draw strength from the Lord and from His mighty power' (Ephesians 6:10). The Book of Revelation refers to this same battle, recalling before our eyes the image of St. Michael the Archangel (Revelation 12:7). Pope Leo XIII certainly had a very vivid recollection of this scene when, at the end of the last century, he introduced a special prayer to St. Michael throughout the Church. Although this prayer is no longer recited at the end of Mass, I ask everyone not to forget it and to recite it to obtain help in the battle against forces of darkness and against the spirit of this world."'

Saint Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;
and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host -
by the Divine Power of God -
cast into hell, satan and all the evil spirits,
who roam throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls.

Amen.

~~~~~

Pardon Crucifix:

The Front of the Crucifix: Above the cruciform figure, the familiar I.N.R.I. has been inscribed with the words "Jesus Nazarenus Rex Judaeorum. "" Latin uses I instead of the English J, and V instead of U (Iesvs Nazarenvs Rex Ivdaeorvm). The English translation is "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." . The Reverse of the Crucifix: On the transverse arms are the words, "Father, forgive them.". On the vertical beam of the Cross are the words, "Behold this heart which has so loved men.". An image of The Sacred Heart of Jesus is shown in the center.

These indulgences have been declared upon the Pardon Crucifix by Pope St. Pius X in 1905, and have been approved in the pardon of the living and the souls in Purgatory in 1907. The lengths of the indulgences were repealed in the new Enchiridion, and the indulgences were granted to remit the guilt of the sin committed:

1. Whoever carries on his person the Pardon Crucifix, may thereby gain an indulgence.

2. For devoutly kissing the Crucifix, an indulgence is gained.

3. Whoever says one of the following invocations before this crucifix may gain each time an indulgence: "Our Father who art in heaven, forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." "I beg the Blessed Virgin Mary to pray to the Lord our God for me."

4. Whoever, habitually devout to this Crucifix, will fulfill the necessary conditions of Confession and Holy Communion, may gain a Plenary Indulgence on the following feasts: On the feasts of the Five Wounds of our Lord, the Invention of the Holy Cross, the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, the Immaculate Conception, and the Seven Sorrows (Dolors) of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

5. Whoever, at the moment of death, fortified with the Sacraments of the Church, or contrite of heart, in the supposition of being unable to receive them, will kiss this Crucifix and ask pardon of God for his sins, and pardon his neighbor, will gain a Plenary Indulgence.