Come Holy Spirit, Come!

Give me grace O Holy Spirit,

Spirit of the Father and the Son to say to You always and everywhere,

"Speak Lord for Your servant heareth."

 Amen

Breathe into me Holy Spirit, That all my thoughts may be holy. Move in me, Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy. Attract my heart, Holy Spirit, that I may love only what is holy. Strengthen me, Holy Spirit, that I may defend all that is holy. Protect me, Holy Spirit, that I always may be holy

Post to come later on our day, the art, and the novena!

Thank you Lacy for the inspiration.

Southern California Catholic Home Educator's Conference

SCCHE

June 22-24

~

It's a homeschooling conference.

It's a curriculum fair.

It's a used book sale.

~

It's loads of fun.

It begins with Mass,

celebrated by an awesome priest!

~

and best of all....

It will be here

with the

 Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Los Angeles!

{P, H, F, R}

{Pretty}

May Crowning

of our Blessed Mother

With our homeschool co-op.

And this year it was Rose's name chosen to crown

Our Lady.

Each May we gather with the Poor Clare Sisters.

They graciously open their doors and allow this group of many to roam around, pray, sing praise, hike the hills.  Bless these sisters! 

They are dear to us!

{Happy}

Our yearbook is done and off to print.

Lucy is so, so happy it's finally DONE!

And it looks pretty!

(this is the cover, created by my very talented niece/godchild)

{Funny}

One child's excitement over her first 'ever' solar eclipse,

was another child's anxiety.

Rose wasn't really anxious here,

she was being very cautious not to look at the sun.

{Real}

The school year is just about over, and already the books for next year have begun to arrive.

I love this home schooled life!

~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~

Every Thursday, here then sharing it with

 Like Mother, Like Daughter!

Rose's Thank You!

Hand drawn 'thank you' cards for all!

May Crowning 2012

Each May our

 Holy Family Homeschool co-op gather together,

with the Poor Clare Sisters in Sylmar, 

for the Crowning of Our Lady. 

We start with the procession of little lambs

We pray the rosary asking for the intercessions of

 Our Lady

Two children are chosen to crown

Our Lady

This year Rose's name was chosen

I love the face on this cutie little gent

Rose got on her tippy toes

and placed the crown of flowers on

Our Lady's head

(a mommy then helped adjust the crown)

Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy!

Our life, our sweetness, and our hope!

To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve,

to thee do we send up our sighs,

mourning and weeping in this valley, of tears.

Turn, then, most gracious advocate,

thine eyes of mercy toward us;

and after this our exile show unto us the

blessed fruit of thy womb Jesus;

O clement, O loving, O sweet virgin Mary.

V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God

R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ

and then came the cake

Here in pictures, and 'some' details, is the cake.

Celebrating a

First Holy Communion and an 8th birthday!

I shall start by telling you that I'm no grand baker.  Oh I try!  In my alter ego, I think I can do some fabulous, edible, masterpieces. 

But, that's not always the case.

Here though, I must say it was pretty darn great!

I am disappointed that the whipped cream frosting began to crack on me before the reception. 

That and that I am STILL using Lucy's camera.  So the pictures aren't the best, sorry.

It was a triple layered, whipped cream frosted cake.

White, lemon, white cake;

with a fresh raspberry puree filling in between the layers.

Oh my, it was so good.

I baked two cakes, one white cake recipe and the other was the lemon flavored one.  Once baked and COOLED, I sliced the cakes in halves.  I put each layer of cake in the frig.  This always helps set the cake and, when frosting, keeps the crumblings from attacking the frosting. 

Make sense?

(Where is Barbara when you need recipe explanations?)

~

Assembly:

I took one layered cake, piped (using a Wilton 2D tip) a ring/barrier of the whipped cream frosting around the cake.  Then filled it with the puree.

Repeated the step for the three layers.

~

Decorating:

I used a #3 tip to pipe the scrolls around the cake.  No real technique here, I just wanted something around the cake without it looking too busy.

The center chocolate was a pre made chocolate mold of a cross and then I piped stars around the cake itself.

When we cut the cake there were lots of ooohhhs and aahhhs around. 

Best of all though, Rose loved it!

~ What I used ~

• A Wilton Cross Cake pan
• This Simple White Cake recipe
• One box of Betty Crocker Lemon Cake
• Raspberry Puree Recipe
• Easy Whipped Cream Frosting

Raspberry Puree Recipe

1 -12oz bag of frozen raspberries

1/4 cup of sugar (or adjust to taste)

1/2 tsp of fresh lemon juice (optional, but highly recommend it)

1.  Thaw the raspberries

2.  Put them through a meshed strainer and using the back of a spoon or the bottom of a cup, push the juice out of the berries through the strainer into a bowl.  All that you should have left are the seeds.

3.  Put the berry pulp (if any), berry juice, sugar, and lemon juice into a blender.

4. Puree away!

The lovely thing about purees; if covered well, they it keep for a week in the frig.  They also do well frozen and used for cakes, cheesecakes, over ice cream. 

Yum!

Saving for a later post are the cookies.

Oh yes, there were cookies.

April 29, 2012

Rose's First Holy Communion

It's been nearly three weeks since that beautiful Sunday. 

 I'm blushing with embarrassment that it's taken me even one week to write the first sentence. 

But, here I am (posting this day for her) and here she is,

my girl Rose!

I wish I can tell you that the days leading up to this special Sunday went smoothly.

I wish I could tell you that

but

I can't.

There was the cake to bake and decorate,

the cookies, the cleaning,

the last minute of running around.

And stuff that life just likes to throw at you when you least expect it.

What I can say, is that, Sunday morning was

peaceful and beautiful!

Nothing mattered other than

knowing that on that day,

our Rose would know a closeness to Jesus,

a special bond, that would guide and by His grace, strengthen her.

"I am the bread of life..." (John 6:35)

It's my prayer for her to know and believe that

He is always there waiting for her,

just her;

to receive Him and believe how much He loves her.

"Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life." (John 6:47)

She was surrounded by many who love her, her Nina.

She, by the way, made this beautiful veil for Rose.

Friends and family.

In the presence of our parish community

at Holy Mass

Rose received the 

Body, soul and divinity of Jesus!

"What wonderful majesty!

What stupendous condescension!

O sublime humility!

That the Lord of the whole universe,

God and the Son of God,

should humble Himself like this

under the form of a little bread, for our salvation."

~ St. Francis of Assisi

The homily given by our wonderful pastor, Fr. Steve, can be listened to

 here on St. Joseph Communications. 

I totally recommend it, it was awesome!

{P,H,F,R}

{Pretty}

Rose made her First Holy Communion this past Sunday. 

It was a blessing that the first time she received Christ in Holy Communion was among our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. 

She looked so pretty!

{Happy}

"Happy"

is being surrounded by family!

{Funny}

Soon after Mass was over Rose took my hand; as she was skipping along she says, ""Now I can go up with you to receive Jesus...it's like being in a club."

 :-)

{Real}

A picture share of the damaged of my sister-in-law's home,

damaged from the fire a couple of weeks ago.

I first wrote about it here

Vintage maps on the wall, charred.

Their Lady of Fatima statue from Portugal, see her there on the mantle?  The intense heat melted it from the base.

Crazy!

~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~

Every Thursday, over at Like Mother, Like Daughter!

SSShhh!

Don't tell my kids I'm trying to write a post. 

It's been nearly impossible to sit for any length of time, be it 5 minutes or 10, without someone or something needing my attention.

Yes, it's been just NUTS around here.  But there is so much to share.  So, in the couple of minutes it'll take for my pot of coffee to be ready; I'm just going to quickly jot down a few details of the past few weeks.

1.  Rose made her First Holy Communion!
It was sweet, emotional, and just lovely.  I spent a lot of time on making the cake and cookies.  And though, I didn't get to do a few things, we had great food, awesome company, and best of all Rose is now "part of the club".

A picture of her special day

2.  We've had family over for the last two weekends.  First, my mom and some of my siblings were here for Rose.  Last weekend they were in town for a triple baptism.  My mom's side of the family are pretty big on get together(s).  This past Saturday was no exception.  Cecilia danced with my nephew, Rose saved a baby chick, I spent time with my Tias and several cousins.  It was a super fun day.... and night!

3.  School, school, school.  My goodness, we are up to our ears in math, grammar and Romeo & Juliet.  I don't know if I succeeded exactly what I had envisioned for this school year back in August, but the kids seems happy.  So hey, that works for me :-).

4.  Lucy is chief editor for her high school co-op, St. Anne's Academy.  We are only about 8 families, but doing any sort of yearbook; regardless of size, has been quite time consuming.  It's been fun, no doubt.  But going through so many pictures, family pages, sending out deadlines, and emails... she's taken on a lot of responsibility.  For a 14 year old, I think she's done great.

5.  We have a quartet meeting here twice a week.  Lucy was asked to organize this quartet of young people to play at a wedding in June.  Would you please offer a little prayer for them?  They've been working hard for this to sound pretty, and they're nervous about it.  300 guest at this wedding.... yea, they probably should be nervous.

6.  My sister-in-law is struggling to find a temporary home for the 6 months it'll take her home to be repaired.  Please keep praying.  They are a large family and home owners are refusing to rent to them.  So sad!!! 

Okay coffee is ready and I'm out of time.  I'll post soon the full details to Rose's First Holy Communion and another post on that cake.  It was so good!

God bless!

Trust! Faith! Hope!

There are moments that take me back, in awe of God's love, his wisdom, his mercy.  We find that our trust has to be complete and without limitations.  But that's harder to do, sometimes to say.  Can I say that I totally TRUST.? That I and my family say;

"I give ALL this to you, my God.  Take it/this from me.  I am on my knees with my arms stretched out in total submission to you."

I can say this, yet there are so many moments that I don't.  That I fall back to old habits. 

Why am I rambling on?

Because our family, people we love/adore, are in place of crisis.  Crisis?

Well from the outside looking in, all this, this 'stuff', what's happending.  It is considered a crisis, suffering.  And yes, there is suffering. 

I've been reflecting on what my spiritual director just recently asked me.

"How do you handle the trials of life differently than others?" 

I place my trust and lay my hopes in Jesus.

The words just spurted out. In midst of troubles (I write the word loosely), there is the complete acknowledgement that there is GREATER suffering going on, much greater then ours.  We are fall into seasons of trials.  How then do we get by?

Okay, where am I going with this?

It involves a fire:

This past Tuesday, my SIL and her family lost their home, all their belongings, most if not all of their pictures, and precious memories; in a fire. 

In a matter of minutes the fire, smoke, and water took EVERYTHING.  Their eldest daughter, our goddaughter, is an accomplished artist and writer; her notebooks, her manuscripts.  Things she's been pouring her soul into...gone.

One of the younger kids began to to give her mom sweet little pieces of needle point.  Little scraps of cloth that she would take and sew a lovely note or a tiny picture...gone.

Another daughter, a savvy sewer, her creations.  Most of these items are probably gone. 

Gone are are ALL of their school curriculum and school work.  Think of how long it takes to find the books that work?  Years of collecting sentimental books.  Many Catholic ones. Yes, they are a homeschooling family.  Gone.

My SIL says, "But hey stuff, it's just that.... stuff." 

Still, the place they find themselves in is not easy; it's frustrating and they have a challenge ahead of them to regain 'normal'.  It'll be 4-6 months before they can return 'home'.  As a family with 7 children, the concept of 'home' has changed.  Even the baby feels it.

And yet still.

Buy the grace of God, no was injured!  Buy the grace of God, they will get through this.  We rejoice in this!

In an email update she just wrote:

"We have love, faith, and hope in God that nothing can take that joy from us. He has blessed us so far and above what we could ever ask, and we trust his hands will guide us through all this and we will be stronger by it."

Trust! Love! Faith! Hope!

 

It's what guides and comforts. 

 
In what's happening to them.  In still praying for my FIL, in his fight against cancer.  This week seemed especially difficult for him.  Praying for a brother of mine, oh the suffering he endures to escape his situation. 
 
All this, and more, looks like a crisis. 
And it is... to some extent.
 
But like my SIL stated, "We have love, faith, and hope in God."  And with this, there is lots of JOY! 
 
We have an abundancy of joy!
 
Rose will be making her First Holy Communion on Sunday! 
And she'll be turning 8!
Two sweet new babies will be baptized into the Church this weekend.
Family and friends are serving and giving of themselves in droves!
My little brood are healthy and sweet and still so innocent!
Their is love in my home!
 
Yep, God is SO good!!!!
 
So so good.
 

Would you please offer your prayers for my SIL and her family? 

For all the other families they are meeting in similar situations? 

Please continue to pray for my FIL

&

my brother.

 

~ Thank you ~

 

♥

May God reward you

♥

First Holy Communion :: Day Three

It's quickly approaching.  The very day Rose will recievie Jesus in Holy Communion.  She's beginning to get nervous.  Though there isn't anything to be nervous about.  Each time she see's Fr. Steve she tells him, "See you on Sunday".  At first he was confused about what she was refering too.  Now he chuckles and says he wouldn't miss it.  Very cute.

We continue with our novena.
Opening Prayer::

Very soon I will receive Jesus
for the first time in Holy Communion!

I can hardly wait!
I must get myself ready.
I must make my heart ready for Jesus
to come to me in this special way.
I will make my heart a beautiful garden.
I will fill it with flowers to please Him.
When He comes into my heart He will be very happy.
He will see how much I love Him!
I will work very hard to make many flowers for Jesus.

Dear Mother Mary and good Saint Joseph,
please help me get ready to receive
Jesus in Holy Communion!

Day Three::

The flowers I will make in my heart today for the garden of my heart are forget-me-nots.
I will make them by visiting Jesus.

Dear Jesus,

When You were a child like me,
You loved to visit the Temple and pray to God, our good Father.
I want to make visits with You because I love You so much!
Today I will try to visit You, in my heart at least,
if I cannot visit You in Church or in the Adoration Chapel.
I will try to be just like You, Jesus.
When I visit You, it will be a very special forget-me-not
for the garden of my heart.
I hope you will like my forget-me-nots, Jesus.
Sometimes they are very hard to make.

Dear Mother Mary and Saint Joseph,

please help me to be able to visit Jesus today.

Draw a picture of yourself making forget-me-nots in your heart for Jesus:

(Margaret has shared this novena here for all.. Thank you Margaret!)

First Holy Communion Novena :: Day Two

Yesterday was our day 2 for the novena Rose is praying.  In addition to praying the novena, Rose is trying to make this into a spiritual bouquet...one that she hopes to present to Jesus on Sunday.  The day of her First Holy Communion and 8th birthday.  It'll be a big day for her.  And a busy day for me. 

The flowers I will make in my heart today for the garden of my heart are lilacs.

I will make them by not getting angry.

Dear Jesus,

When You were a child like me,

You were always very gentle and did not get angry.

I want to be gentle and patient just like You were.

Today I will try very hard to not get angry at

home, at school and at play.

I will try to be just like You, Jesus.

Each time I keep from getting angry and raising my voice,

it will be a beautiful lilac for the garden of my heart.

I hope You will like my lilacs, Jesus.

Sometimes they are very hard to make.

Dear Mother Mary and Saint Joseph,

please help me not get angry today.

Draw a picture of yourself making lilacs in your heart for Jesus.

(The novena was shared by Margaret and you can find it here)

First Holy Communion Novena:: Day One

Rose and I started this nine-day novena that Margaret first shared 4 years ago!  We are praying as a family; making a promise to help her along her nine days. 

Opening Prayer Before Each Day:

Very soon I will receive Jesus

for the first time in Holy Communion!

I can hardly wait!

I must get myself ready.

I must make my heart ready for Jesus

to come to me in this special way.

I will make my heart a beautiful garden.

I will fill it with flowers to please Him.

When He comes into my heart He will be very happy.

He will see how much I love Him!

I will work very hard to make many flowers for Jesus.

Dear Mother Mary and good Saint Joseph,

please help me get ready to receive

Jesus in Holy Communion!

Holy Guardian Angel, help me to do my best each day!

Day 1 Prayer:

The flowers I will make today for the garden of my heart are roses.

I will make them by being kind to others.

Dear Jesus,

When You were a child like me,

You were always kind to everyone.

I want to be kind to others just like You.

Today I will try very hard to be kind to everyone,

at home, at school, and at play.

I will try to be just like You, Jesus.

Each time I do something kind for someone,

it will be a beautiful rose for the garden of my heart.

I hope you will like my roses Jesus.

Sometimes they are very hard to make.

Dear Mother Mary and Saint Joseph,

please help me to be kind to others today.

Draw a picture of yourself making roses in your heart for Jesus.

{Pretty,Happy,Funny,Real}

{Pretty}

Divine Mercy Sunday

It was beautiful!

He IS beautiful!

{Happy}

Happy Easter!

{Funny}

The end of lobster fishing.
We have a enough lobster to last us quite a while.
This is Rose, she liked talking and playing with the them....
odd kid ;-}

{Real}

part one

My little boy is growing up fast. 

 He's literally growing out of his pants every two month, he reads all the time (oh you don't know what a leap forward this is), he has taken his role as a Guardian of the Altar very seriously. 

Max has some come a long way!

Part II

This past week Lucy and one of her dearest friends spoke in front of the first year confirmation class from our parish.  Neither of the girls attend the classes; in fact our young friend isn't a member of our parish.  But during the last week of Lent the girls felt called to speak to the young ladies from the classes.  They wanted to share their love for Jesus, their love of prayer with the group. 

Lucy and S.A approached the director of the confirmation program and 'pitched' him their idea. 

Thank you Mr. F.G! 

Thank you for saying yes to the girls and giving them their very first taste of speaking and publicly sharing their faith. 

The girls were nervous,

but prepared.

The girls were excited,

yet wanted to connect with their audience.

They want to come from a place of love

and not be 'too adult' like.

They weren't!

In front of the Tabernacle, with the Holy Spirit leading their words; they spoke from the heart.

Great job girls!!!

~ Capturing the context of everyday life ~

Every Thursday, over at Like Mother, Like Daughter!