Fall is Here

Yesterday was a glorious day. The weather was beautiful and we spent the afternoon and evening outdoors with family and friends celebrating the end of summer and the beginning of autumn feasting on paella & gazpacho (two traditional Spanish dishes) and sangria (Spanish red wine punch), as well as desserts and appetizers galore.

Today started foggy and cold, and right now, at 1:30 in the afternoon, the rain has started and the wind has shifted to the North. Definitely tea and cozy sweater weather!

Birth Announcement!

My newest daughter Maria Isabel was born on Thursday, Sept. 20. She's a real sweetie and we all love her. Praise God she is finally here!

Forget the Poinsettias this Christmas!

I recently came across this post over at O Night Divine. It seems that 70% of the nation's poinsettias, those beautiful red plants used to decorate our homes and churches throughout December, are provided by the Ecke family in California. Sounds great - support a family business and decorate to celebrate the birth of our Savior!

BUT this family, unfortunately, uses the money they get from the sales of these poinsettias to renovate abortion mills and support Planned Parenthood's agenda of more abortions!

So, can anyone think of a better alternative to buying poinsettias this year? Get the word out to your pastors about this!

Musings from A Catholic Bookstore has more on this.

Please post any church and home decorating ideas!

Everybody Loves a Parade!

* I will add the photos to go with this post later. *


Last weekend (Saturday, September 9, to be precise) we all drove up to Estes Park, Colorado to participate in the Longs Peak Highland Games Parade. I made hard-boiled eggs and gingerbread cookies the night before so we could eat on the road, since we had to leave at 6 AM.

We arrived at the parade site supposedly just before the parade was to start, but had to stand around for a while before we actually started moving because there were many clans and bands there, and we had to wait our turn to go. Next year we'll send one person to sign us all in, and actually bring everyone to the line up later. The littlest ones got a bit impatient, and I (37 weeks pregnant) was anxious to get going, too!

My Brother-In-Law bought the fabric and designed the banners which were carried by the men in the family.

Doesn't Dad look great in his kilt? Mom looks elegant in her Hostess Dress. My beautiful Sister-In-Law made the skirt she is wearing when she was in Junior High School! And look how gorgeous she looks in it now that she is married and has an almost-two-year-old son (the cutie in the Glengarry hat), and a "bun in the oven." The guys looked handsome in their Tweed jackets and driver's caps. My guys all had matching tartan ties. I wore a tartan mini-sash over my shoulder with a navy blue dress my mother wore at my wedding 11 years ago!

It was wonderful to see that many people still know what to do when the Flag of the United States passes by. Many veterans in the crowds stood and saluted, and many civilians and children put their hands over their hearts.

After the parade, we had a picnic lunch at a nearby picnic area. The kids had fun dipping their feet in the stream at our picnic site.

It was a great day - the weather could not have been better. Next year we'll do it again, God willing!

Retreat

Today I am alone in the house for a couple of hours. Normally, Mondays are for grocery shopping and errand running, but today I am just too pregnant to walk, much less drive all over town getting groceries and library books.

So Ian took the kids (all 6 of them by himself - what a man!) and loaded them into the van after treating us to a yummy breakfast of oatmeal and home-made biscuits. They are off to do the necessaries of the day while I waddle around the house looking for the last items I need before the baby's born. And then I'll lie down and let my back relax for a few minutes while I do some spiritual reading. That's probably all I have time for today, but it is enough.

Back To School

Well, here we are in the middle of August again! Normally we would not start school so soon, but the kids have actually been asking (!) and since baby Snowdrop is due towards the end of September, I thought we should start so that we can take a break when baby is born.

So far so good. All three of my school-aged kids did extra Math pages the first day - they decided to do this without my prompting, and no complaints, except that some of them wanted to do more when it was time to clear the table and prepare dinner. If this good cheer continues, we might finish school this year by Christmas (just kidding)!

Sharing the Bounty

Peach jam! Pickles! Applesauce!

My Mother-n-Law is taking time this summer to teach me how to make such culinary delights, and if we can control ourselves and not eat it all before Thanksgiving, there will be a jar of peach preserves for Uncle Tommy and his family, a jar of applesauce for Aunt Mary, and a tin of spiced nuts for Uncle John. Not to mention the rum balls for Aunt Elizabeth and Gingerbread cookies for Grandpa.

I am hoping that Uncle Brandon will share his home-made Christmas Ale in return!

Win Dairy Products from Horizon

Go HERE to sign up to win $300 of dairy products for your family! Here''s a link to Horizon Organics too.

May She Rest In Peace

Last night our family drove home from the home of my husband's grandmother. She was 92 years old when the Lord called her home on Thursday, July 12. All of her children and many of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren were with her when she died.

The Rosary was held on Monday of this week, and the funeral Mass was on Tuesday. The ceremonies attached to these events were beautiful and dignified, as was the life of our Nana. Please pray for the repose of her soul as well as for the strength of the family to carry on without her here.

Asking for a Miracle NOW!!!

Please pray! I know someone who needs a large sum of money TODAY. If you would please pray that somehow this money will materialize before midnight, it would be greatly appreciated. Please pray for this person to be able to trust God as well. I beg of you to implore heaven. Give your Guardian Angel something to do: Send him on an urgent mission.

Pro-Family Businesses Wanted

In my previous post "Is it Wrong to Buy at Discount?" Someone commented that her family tries to support Catholic businesses whenever possible. I responded with this (below) and thought I should start a new post on the subject, asking if anyone knows of small family-run businesses that struggle to stay afloat because they cannot compete with larger corporations that discount more than the smaller businesses can (perhaps because they have their items manufactured in China or other countries that do not promote freedom for their people):

Kitty's response: "Which reminds me! I am planning on repainting my kitchen and saw a wall hanging I really wanted at Hobby Lobby. It is just exactly the size and shape of what I was thinking of to put in the mud room - it is black wrought iron and has a rooster at the top and 7 hooks along the bottom - perfect for little coats and gloves in winter and little sun hats and gardening gloves in summer. HOWEVER, it is made in China and you have just reaffirmed why I cannot buy it. It supports forced abortions instead of strengthening families. Do you know any American family-run businesses that make and sell "country" type items for the home?"

SO! If you know of any such small businesses I would like to have a list here. It does not have to sell "country" items, but any small business that sells wholesome items NOT made in countries where Catholic values are trodden upon and people are enslaved. My blog does not reach millions, but I want to do my small part to help families trying to earn a living doing something worthwhile. Tell your friends to send me information on these businesses. I am especially interested in online and "local" stores (local to your part of the country or world).

Pray for Nana

My husband's grandmother is old. Her 93rd birthday is coming up this August, but she may not make it. All of her children and some of her grand children and great-grandchildren are gathering at her house this week and next week to say goodbye. We will probably be headed there on Monday also.

Please pray for safe travel for all of her family who are going to see her, for strength for those of us left behind without her, but most of all for a happy and holy death for this beautiful woman who has touched so many lives with her generosity and hospitality.

Put On a Happy Face!

We were talking about all of the kids' cousins, whom we will see at Christmas time.

Me: And Uncle Tommy & Aunt Dwija are having a little boy a little before our baby is born, so we'll see him too!

Andrew (5): You mean they already know it's a boy? How?

Me: Yes. Do you remember that thing my midwife put on my tummy and we could see the baby on a little TV? Well, they can sometimes see if the baby is a boy or girl.

Lucy (8): yeah, they look at the...

Me: Wait, let Andrew answer. Andrew, how do you think they can tell if it's a boy or girl?

Andrew: They can tell by the face!

Two-Year-Old Self Awareness

Susan (2): Mommy, I don't have...I don't have...have...have...have... Oh, I don't know what I'm talking about!

Is it wrong to buy at a discount?

I have been mulling this idea around for quite some time now - at least a year. I wonder if anyone has any insight into this problem.

Is it wrong to buy at a discount? Or is it SOMETIMES wrong and sometimes ok?

I am somewhat of the opinion that if I can afford to pay full price (or sale price) at a regular store, I perhaps should not go to the Salvation Army or Goodwill store to buy something that someone who truly cannot afford to shop anywhere else might need. For example, I found a long black skirt in my size at Goodwill last year for about $3. It was the only one in my size. If I have enough money to buy a similar skirt at a regular clothing store, is it ok for me to buy it for so little and perhaps deprive someone who really can't afford it of needed clothing?

On the other hand, someone pointed out to me that she deliberately buys from secondhand stores because she does not want her money to go to large companies that support ideologies that she does not believe in (abortion "rights," gay agendas, etc). I see her point, too.

Another scenario: We own a Catholic bookstore. Our staff is knowledgeable about all our books and products and are always reading and researching in order to help our customers choose what they need, we strive not to carry anything made or printed in China, and to carry only orthodox Catholic materials.

We have friends who will either come into the store or call and keep an employee busy answering questions about various products, sometimes for hours. When these friends have learned what they need to know to purchase a book or gift, they'll say something like, "I am going to go order it from Amazon because they're cheaper." They have just stolen time, expertise & information from our employees when they had no intention of buying from us. They have just made it that much harder for us to compete with giants like Amazon or B & N, who can afford to buy books in large quantities and offer deep discounts. They have pushed us one step closer to closing down, and they are supporting a company that supports gay agendas and abortion on demand. They are taking food out of the mouths of our children and those of our employees.

Why do we always strive to buy it cheaper if we don't need to, or if by doing so we are hurting families? What are we saving the money for? To buy more stuff?

Baby Belly Band

No, it's not musical. I found this contest at 5 Minutes for Mom. They're giving away a Belly Band from Baby Be Mine Maternity

If you or someone you know if pregnant, you may want to see this style innovation. It may even save you a little cash on maternity clothes!

Now THAT'S empty!

Andrew (5): "My tummy was as empty as water after you fish all the fishes"

Home Decorating: Hall Bath

This room is between the girls' & boys' rooms, and the space between the three doors is fondly referred to as "the hall" (it measures about 4 X5 feet). The walls of the bathroom are currently white, but I would like to paint them a shade of tan to go with the various other tan rooms. I would like to put a frame around the mirror which is glued to the wall (so we can't replace it easily). There are 5 bright "vanity globe lights" above the mirror. There is a toilet, and tub with a green/ burgundy/ gold plaid curtain around it. I might like to replace it with something like this. The counter which holds the sink has 3 cabinet doors under it, and lots of storage room. There's also an attached linen cabinet between the door and the sink. I would like to put a framed picture over the towel rack across from the toilet. The one that's there is a hand-painted water color of the cathedral in Florence. Ian & I bought it from a street vendor on our honeymoon. It may stay there. I like it. Maybe add a nice bath set.

Home Decorating: Guest/Play Room

This room is white, but I'd like to paint it green or tan. I wish that it could be strictly a guest bedroom, but we don't have any other room for sewing supplies, toys with small parts that would be dangerous for the little kids to find, or boxes of things I need to go through and get rid of or find a home for. Eventually, if we don't sell our house, this will have to become a bedroom, probably for girls. Right now, it would be best to make it a play room/sewing/seasonal storage room. So, I need to go through those boxes of things that didn't sell on eBay and give them away. Next, go through the shelves holding school things and see what can be thrown or given away. Put the kids' toys on the shelves in bins so they can find what they want without everything falling off the shelves. Move the coffee table in here so they have a place to build their creations. Take the things stuffed into the closet out and go through them. Acquire some cabinets with doors so I can bring in the boxes of fabric & patterns that we took out to the garage "because we won't need them before we move in a month or so" almost two years ago. Maybe I can move the folding table from my bedroom in here so I can sew. Guests can sleep on the floor on an air mattress. Maybe we can make room for their clothes in the closet.

Home Decorating: Boys' Room

This room is currently white, and one boy & one girl sleep in here. There is one small dresser that holds the boy's clothes (but he's getting bigger and his clothes are too). The toy box is also in here, along with a couple of larger toy vehicles. I would like to move the girl into the girls' room and the baby into this room. The walls I would paint two shades of blue: one above a chair rail, the other below. I would put the older boy's bed along another wall where it would not be in the way of the closet door, and I would put the crib where the bed is now, eventually replacing it with the toddler bed that one of the girls is using (and later just one set of bunk beds and no toddler bed). I'd like to put up shelves in here too, for some special collectibles or boy memorabilia.

Of course, if the baby I am now carrying turns out to be a girl, we might be in trouble. If he's boy, we'll just add another bed or set of bunks to the boys' room.