Saint Elizabeth of Hungary Feast Day

So random of a post...

But this precious, yet at times challenging young girl,

 had sort of a name sake feast celebration.

Our Aliza...which is a spin of Elizabeth

 

In honor of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary

We made castle cake.....

Or you could call it sour cream chocolate bundt cake

I used this chocolate glaze

 some of us had seconds....it was delic!

Shining Light Dolls - Beautiful & Contempory Marian Dolls

I just stumbled upon these precious Marian doll toys available from Shining Light Dolls.

I love Marian Apparitions...so many, many Heavenly Miracles - Glory be to God!

 

And there is a give away going on over at Blossoming Joy! 

(Ends on Friday Sept 13!)

7 Quick Takes Friday

1) I am almost finished reading The Boy who met Jesus - Segatashya of Kibeho by Immaculee Ilibagiza.  Honestly there are some parts that scare me in the book when Jesus speaks of the end of days.  I know Segatashya's apparitions have not been "approved" by the church and even if they would be I know I am not "required" to believe, but I do believe this young man - too many circumstances for it to not be true, there is no way this boy could have made this stuff up, just no way. 

2) I finally am catching up with the rest of the techy world.  My husband bought me an iphone 4s - I have not tried Siri yet - I read a review that she thinks everything is related to restaurants - we will see.  Technology is not my strong suit.

3) My baby could probably win the naughtiest baby contest at church - It was down right embarrasing last Sunday - I cannot even describe it. 

4)  Speaking of naughty baby - she managed to do this!

 

Seriously this cantaloupe was on mock speed ripening steroids because it was not ripe when I bought it 2 days prior.  Seriously.  And I failed to snap a picture of unwrapped foil wrappers from her moving a chair to get to the chocolate on top of a hutch.  I was thankful she has learned to unwrap the foil.  But I am down right tired of her moving chairs!!  How am I supposed to hide all my chairs?!

5) Continuing with the baby theme.  This video cracks me up!  I know it is old news, but I just saw it on my new phone and all, and I have waisted much time watching it too many times!

6) We "had" to buy a new dryer this week as ours went out.  There are so many pretty washer and dryers on the market.  I almost wanted to buy for "looks" - you know the sleek and modern looking ones and not the one that was shoved over to the side of the show room floor that looked like it was made (style wise) 25 years ago.  Almost.  I did not.  And I could not be happier!!  I wanted to post a picture, but only our Speed Queen dryer came, we are still waiting on the washer.  Speed Queen.  Such a funny name.  Old School to the max.  But, these babies are American made and in just about every laudromat around.  Comes with a 3 year warranty.  Stainless steel inside.  No computer.  Washer uses lots of water.  Oh, I know that is so not enviromental of me, but I have kids.  They get dirty.  I need water to clean our clothes! (note- our water where we live is "free"! -it is well water but "free")

7) I am out of stuff...  Unless anyone reads this can tell me how to put the "safety" feature on my youtube app on my new iphone?  I do not see anywhere when I scroll down to the bottom to do that like there is on the full screen "computer" version.

More fun this week over at Betty Beguiles!

Someone's Story I Do Not Want To Forget

I was listening to Catholic radio - a rerun of Mother Angelica show.  Sometimes she is slow to listen to and I almost flipped the station, but I am glad I did not.  This is just a wee simple story, but powerful to me.

So Mother Angelica is telling us there was a man, who fell off a roof, on his head. The man was in the hospital hooked up to every machine you could think of. The doctors said the man is "gone", there is nothing that could ever be done to help him. (Basically Mother Angelica's point was that the doctors were ready to "pull the plug".)

Mother A asks if she can go in the man's room.  The doctors/nurses, say he is really "gone".  Mother asks again and the doctor said yes.  She went in the man's room.  She whispered prayers in his ear and said a prayer for the dying.  She continued to whisper in the man's ear telling him to tell Jesus he is sorry for all his sins of his whole life and to ask Jesus for mercy for all his sins.  The man opened one eye and had the biggest tear Mother A had ever seen roll down his cheek.  Then the man died - on his own - in God's timing - no plugs pulled. 

I don't want to forget that story - I did not tell it as well as Mother Angelica told it - but none the less it is told for me to remember...

Our Family Advent Wreath 2011

I saw Sarah's post ~ so I thought I would share.

This is the "Stonelook Celtic Advent Wreath"

I know they are supposed to be evergreen

but I just like this one too much!

I bought some very sweet Holy Cards from ebay

for our kindergarten Religious Ed Class to decorated candles.

We glued the cards and some gems on Dollar Tree candles.

This one is minus the "gems".

We will light it on Christmas Day.



Saint Nicholas

Saint Nicholas made a quick stop

bringing sweet treats

and gifts of faith



The coin idea is from Shower of Roses - she amazes me with what she does!

Our Lady of Good Help Shrine

We traveled to Wisconsin this summer and this special shrine was right in our path.  I did not really "plan" to make a special trip there, rather God planned it for me.  So, we stopped on our way to our "real destination".

When we arrived, the gift shop had just closed.  But we got to go inside the Chapel and under the Chapel where the apparition is said to have taken place.  Although at the time of the apparition that spot was a forest as Our Lady appeared to Sister Adele in the forest.  I took a few pictures here and there, but I always feel so strange taking pictures inside churches.

 

So outside here are Lydia & Cy with Our Lady of Fatima

Outside with Jesus.

I am not sure if that was "appropriate" to let our 3 year old ride the lamb.... 

They had nice grounds and it was quite peaceful.

Our Lady of Good Help definately heard my prayers this day as I have been praying for 2 years and now since my visit to this special place my prayers are being answered, nothing less than a miracle!

Our Lady of Good Help, pray for us!



The Holy Family Shrine

We went here yesterday

to the glass church.

(that is my brother, holding a non smiley baby!)

Lydia sketched away in her book.

We are doing a local "Let's Go Play" booklet where you "go play", get the clue/rubbing to show you have been there or draw your own picture as she is doing for this one

and when we have 20 "adventures" as I call it, we will be eligable for a drawing/prize!

I am hoping we win a boat!!  ha, ha!

this guy just had fun dancing on the rocks

Really, he thought it was great!

I love how it is so easy to please young children

they truely find joy in the simplest things!

This is the back of the church. 

It sits on a hill where if you are driving along I-80 you definately see it.

This is the entrance.

Wish those cones would have not been there!

And I did not take any pics inside as people were busy keeping God's House clean.

Bless them.

(the buckets and mops would not look so pretty in pictures)

You can visit their website here.



Rice Krispies Hearts for Divine Mercy

For Divine Mercy Sunday

we made these little gems.

I just love how they turned out!

We will definately plan on these for years to come
on this wonderful Feast Day!

Saint Faustina was a mystic from not so long ago who Our Lord chose to be a special apostle of the Divine Mercy Message.  One little part of her story I chuckle at a bit is how she thought Jesus wanted her to paint the Divine Mercy image herself, but then later figured out someone else could do the painting!
However, we know even as Saint Faustina was dying she was never really pleased with the images the artists had come up with but, we know it is the message that the image portrays is what really matters.  Jesus I trust in You!

Our Lady of Lourdes Rice Krispie Grotto

Yesterday we made a Rice Krispie Grotto in honor of our Lady of Lourdes. 

I saw the idea at Catholic Icing.

Of course we just kind of "slapped" ours together, not quite so fancy.

We also watched the story of Saint Bernadette

available here.

An interesting fact about Saint Bernadette is that her body never corrupted after death.  She is one of the incorruptible Saints of the Catholic Church.

I find that just amazing!  Anybody that has anything agaist the Catholic Church or think that is is soo "off" how would you explain that?

You can check out Saint Bernadette here.

Presentation of Jesus in the Temple - Candlemas

Tomorrow Feb. 2 is the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, also known as Candlemas.

So, we got a jump start today as we did not have school!

We made edible candles.

Ours are a bit sloppy,

as I had 2 children crying calling for me so we were rushing.

This book has some great ideas.

He really was exciting to eat this -

He was waiting patiently for me to snap a photo!

This kiddo enjoyed his edible candle too.

They were fun to eat!

The Catholicism Project

I enjoy listening to Fr. Robert Barron.  This looks like an amazing journey!

My First Rose from St. Therese Child of Jesus

I began my 1st EVER Novena to St Therese, of the child Jesus.  She has kept her promise for as a sign of her intercession she has sent me a rose, actually she has showered me with roses! 

It is such an amazing feeling to know she is in heaven listening to ME, pleading my cause before our Lord!

  Thank you St. Therese in "your little" way you are a Huge comfort! 

If anyone actually reads this (besides my loving husband!) if you are curious I will tell you one of the roses I recieved was on day 4 of my novena.  Which is today.  My husband is a coin dealer and buys scrap gold/silver as well.  Every once in awhile he will ask me if I want something he buys in the shop.  In the past he has brought home some saint metals.  Today, my husband asked me if I wanted a rose necklace a lady had brought in.  In ALL the jewelry he has bought, he has never bought a rose pendant until today, of course!!! 

Tree Lined Paths

I love tree lined paths.
Especially secret ones that not many know of such as this one at the Columban Fathers Campus.  I cannot wait to come here in the fall!

Abortion Pain Prevention Act - NE LB 1101

Nebraska pro-life advocates are fighting for the innocent in an attempt to pass law that would ban abortions after 20 weeks gestation as the babies feel pain! Of course they do! I have always wondered, "Do abortion advocates have any compassion for the pain these babies go through?" Without getting into anything religious that factor has to weigh on their mind?

I for one will be supporting my state's new bill!

Fight the good fight!

Cathedral ?

Just incase you happened to read this, then you may want to know that this is St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague (Praha). A beautiful city to visit indeed.

Lent

Does anyone know which Cathedral this is? I did a semester abroad in college and got to see this beautiful church. A bit gothic for my personal taste, but still.... pretty amazing!

Lent begins tomorrow. For me:

1) Daily Rosary

2) Go to Stations of the Cross AT THIS BEAUTIFUL CHURCH. (They have soup & stations! Yum!)

3) Visit the elderly in a local assisted living home with the kiddos. (This is something I have wanted to do for a long time - my kids are rarely around the elderly and the elderly rarely get to see kids - win-win!)

4) Fridays - no meat of course, but that is not much of a sacrafice for me, so I will at least do no sweets on Fridays and see how many days inbetween I can go!