Monday journal

Outside my window...
Grey and warm...I think there are storms predicted for later with a warm front moving in.


I am thinking...
...about the week ahead. As we move into May, my focus will be shifting. I need to look at the books and see what the end of the year looks like; Faith's recital is soon...a first for us; the end of the year for Noah and final exams; Joshua just got hired at Best Buy and he will be going to orientation and training. As my children grow older, our family focus changes and I am not always so good at keeping up.

Also as we move into May, my blogging purpose will change. For the past two years I have posted every day in May for Mary, and I will try to do that again this year.


I am thankful for...
...a catching up weekend.

...cough medicine for little girls with colds (one little girl in particular with a cold)

...an seemingly endless supply of beads and wire and crucifixes for many rosaries


From the lesson plans...
...last week was not so good. Faith had two sick days so we didn't get very far in our studies. Hopefully this week will be more productive.


From the kitchen...
...I think cheesecake for breakfast. Yesterday I used my homemade cream cheese for a cheesecake. It was a little tangy (and the recipe omitted salting it) so it wasn't so good plain. It was wonderful in a cheesecake however, a New York style cheesecake -- I will share the recipe on my food blog. Stay tuned.

I have a lot of whey from that cream cheese, so I think we'll have Whey Pancakes and ham for dinner. My family loves breakfast for dinner.



I am wearing...
...khaki trousers, a long-sleeved aqua tee, my favorite Lands End grey sweater, black patent loafers, my chain. It seems like my Monday uniform.




I am creating...
...embroidered scapulars, a rosary for my husband's cousin at the request of his aunt -- a pretty one with turquoise beads and red jasper Paters, and an Our Lady of Guadalupe center. It's wire-wrapped though so I've been working on it for days and days.

I still have 12 seven lilac lyrical ballet costumes hanging from my drapery rod in the dining room. I am hand sewing trim and hopefully they will be gone by this week's lesson.


I am planning...
 ...to sew this week. I have two birthday gifts to sew, and two summer outfits for Faith. It's starting to feel like summer again.



I am reading listening to...
...I downloaded (or I think I did... it still says "downloading") Days of Grace to my iPhone. I just recently discovering the Ohio eBooks project and there are audiobooks to be listened to. Unfortunately they only let them go out one at a time (only one copy of each book at a time) so there's a wait for every book. It wasn't a book I went looking for, but it looked good when I got there.

I am also listening to Dawn O'Hara: The Girl Who Laughed from Librivox.



I am hoping...
...that my back feels better this week. I am only in slightly better shape than I was last week. I baked a lot this weekend, which didn't help matters.



I am hearing...
...the birds cheeping outside. A cardinal for sure, and a robin, and something more noisy farther away.



Around the house...
...mostly laundry today. Lots of laundry. Noah stockpiles in his room and dumps it all in the hamper at once. Urgh.

Dusting to do as well, and sweeping -- these oak seeds are being tracked from one end of the house to the other.



I am going...
...to the store to buy Joshua a pair of pants before 3 p.m. I ordered three pair from Kohls.com exactly eight days ago and they still have not arrived. Now I'll have to return one of them when it arrives. Ordering online didn't save me any time this time around. He needs pants for his new job and he has to have them today.



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

...and for SFO mom's recovery


For the rest of the week...
...school and home...my vocation.


...lots of sewing

...more cheese -- the homemade mozzarella was wonderful, but I feel the need to try something new. Or maybe more cream cheese.

Picture for the day...


I'm sad to say our little O'Brien is gone from the nest. The very day after he hatched he disappeared. The nest is pretty well hidden so I don't think it was a predator. I fear mama cardinal...well, survival of the fittest and all that. Dolan is getting quite large, and I guess the other eggs are not going to hatch after all. His feathers are getting thicker, his eyes are open, and he makes quite a racket when we get close.

 

Introducing...

...Cardinals Dolan and O'Brien.

Of the seven eggs, only two have hatched, a day apart, first Dolan and then O'Brien. I guess we'll have to go outside the country for the names of any future hatchlings.

Dolan was being quite vocal about his hunger when I took this shot. I scooted quickly so mama Cardinal could get back to him.

sewing and thREAD

Joining Elizabeth for the third installment of needle and thREAD. Thanks, Elizabeth, for hosting.

I am still very busy sewing scapulars, but several evenings this week I have been busy with another sewing project. Faith takes lyrical ballet lessons and the studio is preparing for the recital in a few weeks. The seamstress hired to make the costumes has had some delays with the lyrical dresses and the they barely made it in time for the photo session last week. In fact, they were missing the ruffled trim at the neck and the bows at the waste. Because the seamstress was having a family medical crisis, I volunteered to take the dresses home (12 out of 15) and hand sew the ruffle and the bow. They are hanging in my dining room and I took a picture yesterday when it was sunny. I am waiting for more trim, as I have only finished six of the dresses.

they look pink here but they are actually a very pretty shade of lilac; two other classes wear the same dress, one in blue and one in pink, and I am anxious to see them for the dance they do all together

a finished dress

Faith reluctantly tried hers on for a photo session this morning, but it's very grey and rainy out today so the photos are quite grainy. And she was quite reluctant. I assure you they are beautiful when worn by one with a better attitude. They have a sewn-in pair of tight short bottoms so they are very modest, a feature about this particular studio I really love. Faith's costume is one of those without trim and a bow as well.

She complained in the whole five minutes she had it on that it was itchy. This child has been wearing itchy dress-up dresses since she could walk, but she apparently only complains when the wearing is mandatory. Sigh. Any fixes for an itchy dance costume are appreciated. I plan to use a lot of cornstarch powder.

And speaking of itchy costumes, I have volunteered (somebody shoot me) to be stage mom for Faith's class which involves waiting backstage with all 15 girls in itchy costumes (Faith was not the only one to complain at the photo shoot) during the recital. Faith's class dances just before the finale, which means I have to keep 15 girls neat and tidy and occupied for several hours. Any experienced moms with back-stage activity suggestions? I imagine I could get The Exorcist on my kindle. Just kidding.

My book is not in the any of the photos, but I am just finishing The Kitchen House, and it's been a really good read. I highly recommend.

(4/25)...streaming -- no strep

So far so good. The rapid strep test was negative. I haven't heard the news from the hospital lab, that I had to drive my own sample to, in a biohazardous waste bag. Lovely.

As I waited in the outpatient lab at the hospital for someone to take my sample ("no specimens on the desk, please" as if I had just urinated on the wood), I imagined that will be the future of health care. Why would the government pay someone to pick my sample up from the doctor when they can make me do it myself?

The hospital lab said the culture probably wouldn't be read until tomorrow. Amazing how the Children's hospital lab has results the next morning.  If you have no idea what I am talking about you probably need to read yesterday's post. Or just ignore me. That's ok, too.


The girl is still on the sofa, but for the moment the fever is gone and just the sore throat remains. No barfing since yesterday. I probably went to the doctor too soon. If I had waited until today she wouldn't have had to go. But the dance recital is just a few weeks away and I was afraid if I waited she would miss dance class tomorrow.

Faith has a tendency to get a sick stomach when she has a fever. But often strep comes with sore throat and sick stomach, so it's all a big guessing game. It would be nice to have over-the-counter strep tests. I imagine that will be in the future so the government doesn't have to pay the doctor and the lab if you have a sore throat.

~~~~~

The cardinal eggs have started to hatch. One baby so far. The picture is a little fuzzy because I didn't want to keep mama Cardinal away too long.

He is very sweet, isn't he (I always assume babies are boys unless I know otherwise, probably because I have a really soft spot for baby boys)? I hope his brothers and sisters hatch soon.

I know this sounds really stupid, especially if you already knew this, but did you know that the Northern Cardinal is named after our very own Roman Catholic Cardinal robes? I guess I never really thought about it before. My dad had a great fondness for Cardinals and used to whistle their call. I have always loved them for that reason, but I love them all the more now.

~~~~~~

I watched a really good film last night while I worked on a rosary ~~ Sarah's Key. I read the book a few years ago and I must say the film is one of those rare instances where the film is at least as good if not better than the book. It's a story with two simultaneous plots about a Jewish girl who almost became a victim of the Holocaust via the round-up of the Jews in Paris in 1942. The modern-day journalist played by Kristin Scott Thomas discovers the young Jewish girl's story and becomes obsessed with her outcome. Much of the film was subtitled (which makes it hard to work on a rosary) but is so very worthwhile.

~~~~~

I started the cream cheese today which involved heating a gallon of whole milk and one pint of heavy cream to 86 degrees, stirring in a package of buttermilk culture and 4 drops of rennet and setting it aside until tomorrow. I'll let you know what happens after 24 hours.

Now I'm off to make chicken, bacon and cream cheese taquitos for dinner, with store-bought cream cheese, and maybe some chocolate chip cookies. Yum.

(4/24)...streaming

It's a sick day today.

Faith is on the sofa with a plastic barf bowl. She has a low grade fever and a sore throat. Care to diagnose? We could have a contest and the winner can hold her hair back. Ha.

We are headed to the doctor in a few long short hours for a strep test. And because our medical insurance absolutely stinks when it comes to pediatrics, I have to drive the swab to another lab. My husband works for a hospital system and our insurance stinks. Not for adults, mind you, but for kids. Our hospital system doesn't treat kids, but they don't really want to pay the children's system to take care of kids properly. They should be ashamed. Especially because it's a Catholic hospital system. Shame on them. I am not very happy right now because I have to take my daughter to the pediatrician for him to stick the swab in and then drive the swab across town to a lab that will test the spit for free. If I let my doctor send the swab to the children's lab it will cost us around $75.

Can you tell that I'm not very happy about it? But I am glad I have medical insurance. In a year we may not. In a year we may not have a job.

But my daughter just giggled at Bugs Bunny so all is not so bad.

I'll let you know what the doc says, but you're welcome to take a guess (just a hint: the only symptoms she has are those listed and she had a flu shot in the fall, as well as her tonsils out).

daybook

Outside my window...
Wind...the tree tops are bending and it sounds so cold. The thermostat says it's 41 degrees outside. And 67 inside. Brrr. My son called me on his way to class complaining about the cold and I reminded him that it is still April and this is normal (we just got teased by that early warm weather).


I am thinking...
...about a lot...school at home, housework, sewing that must be done, rosaries to make. I am thinking I need to give up sleeping. But I won't.


I am thankful for...
Good shepherds...I wrote my pastor a letter about an issue that bothered me (liturgical music that is more performance than worship) and he made a point to find me after Mass yesterday to tell me he received the letter, would respond, and he was not at all offended (I was really worried after I mailed it). He agreed with me, thank goodness, but even more important, he listened.


From the lesson plans...
...making up for taking Friday off unexpectedly. Double Latin, reading, history, plus all the rest. Peach will be so pleased. I realized last week (I am a little slow) that we are just a little more than a month from June. I plan to take a short break then and school again while Noah does summer gym. Don't tell Faith. She'll just nag me for a month and I'm not changing my mind.

She is almost finished with the fourth grade Teaching Textbooks and I was going to jump right into the next level, but then I thought maybe we would review instead. She needs more practice at multiplication and division and I know the next level of TT will review but will it be enough? I need something structured. Any suggestions?


From the kitchen...
...well I started the day with a strawberry cupcake. Not so good. Too sweet. I need a piece of rye toast and cheese.

Faith has been preparing her own lunch, which is nice because I don't usually want lunch. For dinner: grilled flat iron steak, grilled vegetable kabobs, roasted sweet potato slices, artsian bread.


I am wearing...
...khaki trousers, a long-sleeved aqua tee, my favorite Lands End grey sweater, black patent loafers, my chains 




I am creating...
...embroidered scapulars. I finished one last night, got another order yesterday so I still have three to catch up. It's rather endless, so I should stop counting.


Many First Holy Communion rosaries. I have never had so many requests, which is good, but I'm busy!


I have 12 lilac lyrical ballet costumes hanging from my drapery rod in the dining room (it's a cast iron rod!). The studio's seamstress had a personal crises and an urgent medical issue and they were lucky the dresses were sewn. They came on picture day minus the neck trim and bows, so I am sewing them on. The seamstress thought she was going to get them all back after pictures, so I imagine she is happy.


I am planning...
...to make cheese. I know, I really don't have anything to do. What was I thinking? Well, I want to make my own cream cheese and mozzarella. Just because I can I guess, and because I just know it will be so much better. And because I'm not much of a meat eater, and I love cheese (because cheese is sooo good). Good enough reason? 


I ordered the ingredients I needed, and I have my milk here waiting. I can't wait!


I am reading...
 The Kitchen House. It's very good. I wish I could just sit and read. But I must sew, and make rosaries, and teach my daughter, and make cheese!






I am hoping...
...that my back feels better this week. I don't know what I did but it is really sore. I can't get up or down very easily, and no bending at all. I think that major grocery shop on Saturday didn't help.




I am hearing...
...the wind. It's blowing furiously through the trees. And the furnace kicked on a little bit ago. It feels good.




Around the house...
...mostly laundry. I need to dust, but bending is out so I will have to ignore it or give the job to Peach. I need to do a marathon of ironing, but that too will have to wait until my back is better. In the meantime I will just wash and dry (Peach gets the stuff out of the washer and puts it in the dryer). 

I went to the thrift store yesterday and bought my men some shorts and polos (which are in the dryer now). I don't usually thrift store shop, but they ruin things so quickly it's a shame to buy new (i.e., expensive). Joshua just got hired at Best Buy and needs khaki trousers, so after I went to the thrift store (and found no pants in his size) I ordered some pants for Joshua, socks and underwear for the other boys and Doug from kohls.com. I spent $300 on three pairs of pants, socks and underwear for four men. And it was all on sale. It was a good thing I bought shorts and shirts at the thrift store.

Everything is so expensive any more. I sew most of Faith's clothes now, and I rarely buy myself anything. Who can afford it?




I am going...
...to take Faith to the dentist later, stop at the phone store (Noah locked himself out of his cell phone...tee hee), and the meat market




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

 

...and SFO mom

For the rest of the week...

...school and home...my vocation.

...making cheese


...lots of sewing




Picture for the day...

a Cardinal nest in the shrubs. Aren't those eggs gorgeous? When I see such beauty in nature I wonder how anyone can not believe in God.

I hope mama Cardinal is ok on this windy morning.

needle and thREAD {2}

I am joining Elizabeth's sewing circle again this Thursday.

I went from sewing on the machine last week to sewing like a mad women with needle and embroidery thread this week.

I put embroidered scapulars in my Etsy shop last week and now I am catching up on orders. Two after this one and I'll be caught up. They take about four hours to make, so I stitch a bit here and a bit there. The greatest challenge for me is within myself. I have to fight the perfectionist in me (I am not that way about all things, believe me), but I recently, within the last year or so, read that the Amish always stitch an error into the quilts "because only God is perfect." I don't know if that is actually true, but the thought helps me let those imperfections go.

I am still reading The Kitchen House, but am now thoroughly involved as evidenced by me standing with my nose in the book while I stir a pot, or rinse a dish, or just about any kitchen task I can do one-handed.

PS For the story behind the scapulars, read here.

God Bless these Seminarians

Lifesitenews.com reported this story last week about the Pontifical College Josephinum, which is just ten minutes away from me here in central Ohio. Seminarians, dressed in black cassocks and red sashes pray outside of local abortion clinics. That is quite an image to behold and I can't imagine any woman not being affected by that sight. God bless these beautiful, courageous men.

Lifesitenews.com--
COLUMBUS, Ohio, April 12, 2012 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Seminarians from the only Pontifical College in the U.S. have an awe-inspiring approach for confronting abortion head-on. Dressed in full regalia of a black cassock, a traditional red sash, and armed with a rosary, the seminarians descend in a powerful show of force every Saturday on a local abortion facility to confront with prayer what the seminary’s rector calls the “poison of abortion.”

Father James Wehner, rector of the Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio, says he believes that seminarians need to “see visibly the forces of evil at work, and respond with an act of faith in which prayer becomes the greater force.”

“American culture is a blessing, but it is also poisoned,” he said. “The clergy, particularly priests, need to be able to confront that poison, not run away and hide from it. That means we have to confront it head-on.”

The Josephinum encourages its seminarians to pray at one of two nearby abortion facilities every Saturday. The young future priests alternate every week between each facility. Once each semester, the entire community, including priests, faculty, and staff — nearly 200 people — descend upon one of the abortion centers for an all-out prayer invasion. Fr. Wehner personally leads these prayer crusades.

“We are there to pray. I am teaching our men to be men of prayer and to lead other people in prayer. That is our primary and first responsibility,” he told LifeSiteNews.com.

The young seminarians are taught to consider their prayer as a spiritual challenge to unjust laws that strip away the lives of the most vulnerable, and morally destroys the lives of others who participate in the gruesome business of killing human life in the womb.

“The point of all of this is that wherever man is suffering — in this case, an unborn child, a woman who is having the abortion, those who are facilitating the abortion — the Church has to be present to these people, primarily by prayer,” said Fr. Wehner.

Fr. Wehner explained to LifeSiteNews that the “overall theology that we are promoting with the seminarians is the New Evangelization, [which] moves us into the promotion of an authentic humanism and a culture of life.”

“The New Evangelization means that wherever we find a new situation — good or bad — the Church must be able to be present in that situation…and the Church is an expert in humanity. So, when man or society finds itself sick, the Church needs to be present.”

“So, if we are killing the unborn, the Church needs to be present.”

“For too long, I think, we Catholics turned in on ourselves. We were comfortable in our ghetto neighborhoods to the point where we became intimidated by others who are very vocal. Now we need to open our mouths.”

Fr. Wehner pointed out that the high percentages of Catholics contracepting reveals the failure of leaders in the Church to pass on authentic Catholic teaching. “It’s not enough to say ‘well, that’s wrong,’” he said, “but you need to be able to explain why.”

“We are training our future priests to convincingly and catechetically bring to our people the Gospel in a way that people can receive it and understand it so that their lives can be changed by it.”

“We are forming new evangelizers. These [will be] priests who not only know the Gospel, but who will be able to teach it and articulate it to people who live in a pluralistic society.”

Since Fr. Wehner became the rector of the Josephinum in 2009, the enrollment has shot up by 53 percent. There are now 180 seminarians who are being trained to fearlessly engage the culture. They are being trained to be what the Josephinum calls “renaissance men” who can draw from the culture all that is consistent with the Gospel of Life.

Fellowship of the Unashamed

Have you heard this Fellowship of the Unashamed? I have heard it several times on Catholic radio, and driving home from the school drive this morning, I heard it again. It bears shouting from the mountain tops, so I am posting it here for you, my friend. In this time of subtle, and sometimes not-so-subtle, persecution, we must prepare for future battle. I don't think any Catholic can deny that tough times are ahead. It is necessary to steel oneself for martyrdom.

I heard it this morning from Patrick Madrid, well-known Catholic apologist, author, speaker, who does not claim it for himself, but fully subscribes to the mission, and modified the original slightly. According to several internet sources the original came from a Rwandan man, written the night before he was executed for his belief in Christ.

I AM A PART of the Fellowship of the Unashamed.

The die has been cast. The decision has been made. I have stepped over the line. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away or be still.

My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is in God’s hands. I am finished and done with low living, small planning, the bare minimum, smooth knees, mundane talking, frivolous living, selfish giving, and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, applause, or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, the best, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith. I lean on Christ’s presence. I love with patience, live by prayer, and labor with the power of God’s grace.

My face is set. My gait is fast, my goal is heaven. My road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, my Guide is reliable, and my mission is clear.

I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded, or delayed.

I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I won't give up, shut up, let up or slow up until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, and spoken up for the cause of Christ.

I am a disciple of Jesus. I am a Catholic. I must go until He comes, give until I drop, speak out until all know, and work until He stops me. And when He returns for His own, He will have no difficulty recognizing me. My banner is clear: I am a part of the Fellowship of the Unashamed.

Adapted from the original (author unknown) by Patrick Madrid

Making it Count...{1}

I'm joining Sarah and Pam today in their new Making it Count series. I don't really spend a lot of time online, but I spend enough. I like the concept of making my time count for something.

I love to make baby quilts to give my friends. I feel like a quilt says "you are worth time spent on something meaningful," and I love that a baby might keep a quilt close for many, many years (My 20-year-old son still has a baby quilt. He no longer sleeps with it ;-) but he still has it.). My husband's little four-year-old niece just called me a couple weeks ago to tell me that she was taking the quilt I made her as a newborn to "share day" at day care for the letters "Qu."What a cutey. I just love that!

A dear online friend recently became a grandma again, to a tiny little girl. My friend's daughter is a young and very chic mama, so I wanted to make something that she would be pleased to use -- something that matched her style. I hope she likes this quilt. It's a rag style quilt, and I have made others before, but never in such vibrant colors. I saw one at The Crafty Blog Stalker recently and it really made me want to make one again. This quilt screams "I'm a girl!" and the colors are so fresh and springy.

I also decided to make a little mini diaper bag to match, and as you can see, I sewed a little of Our Blessed Mother inside, just for extra blessings.

Happy Birthday Papa

Oh we do so love you!

I think we need some cupcakes! Maybe something German...

Divine Mercy Sunday

Tomorrow is the Feast of Divine Mercy, as established by our beloved Pope John Paul II.

Our Lord revealed to St. Faustina:  "I want the image to be solemnly blessed on the first Sunday after Easter, and I want it to be venerated publicly so that every soul may know about it. By means of the Image I shall be granting many graces to souls; so let every soul have access to it." (Diary 341, 570)

He also said: "I desire that priests proclaim this great mercy of Mine towards souls of sinners. Tell My priests that hardened sinners will repent on hearing their words when they speak about My unfathomable mercy, about the compassion I have for them in My Heart. To priests who proclaim and extol My mercy, I will give wondrous power; I will anoint their words and touch the hearts of those to whom they will speak." (Diary, 50, 1521) 

To prepare for and celebrate the Feast of Divine Mercy:

1.    Celebrate the Feast of Divine Mercy on the Sunday after Easter;
2.    Sincerely repent of all our sins;
3.    Place our complete trust in Jesus;
4.    Go to sacramental Confession, preferably before that Sunday; preferably during the Lenten season.
5.    Receive Holy Communion on the day of the Feast;
6.    Venerate the Image of The Divine Mercy;
7.    Be merciful to others, through our actions, words, and prayers on their behalf.



If you are able, prepare some Divine Mercy sugar cookies or a Divine Mercy Shortcake -- neither will disappoint and your children will always remember those red and blue rays!
 

(4/12)...streaming

I hope you had dinner. This blog post contains images of food.

I had one of those days in which I am so very grateful just to sit down when it's over.

I spent the day in the kitchen, and my poor family got pizza for dinner (they weren't too sad -- it was Jet's eight corner pizza).

One would think at my age I would have learned the lesson about overextending oneself.  One would think. I don't. I always think I can cram one more thing in.

A few weeks ago a very good friend asked if I could help her with a bridal shower her daughter was giving. My friend is taking classes for her Master's and teaching full time, so I know she has almost zero time for extra stuff, and usually I do, so I said yes. She asked me to bake cupcakes and cookies, and I can usually do that with one hand tied behind my back. (Well, not really.) I sort of volunteered to make goody bags for the guests. I could have started working on them weeks ago, but I didn't.

That means this week was spent making body butter, lip balms, and chocolates for the goody bags (18 of them), and today was spent baking.

 The bride's flower is the sunflower, which I think is rather, um, different. Sunflowers are nice, but not very...bridal.

That would have all been fine and good except I didn't learn that one lesson.

Early this week I received an email from the woman at church who is responsible for our Stone Soup committee. We coordinate meals for parishioners who need a little extra help with delivered meals, for illness and family crises. I am a volunteer on the committee and the request was for meals for a woman going through cancer treatment and her husband.

Shepherd's Pie -- it smelled so good

Soft clouds of mashed potatoes over meat, gravy and veggies -- good comfort food.

Irish Soda Scones -- some to eat, some to freeze

I decided I might as well volunteer for a regular day, so it would be easier to remember. I volunteered for the next four Fridays, and yes, I did remember that I was rather committed for today. But you see, I do sometimes think I can bake cookies and cupcakes with one hand tied behind my back, so I thought I could easily cram in one more thing.

Sugar cookies with royal icing. Royal icing is a big pain. No more royal icing. Ever.

Wedding cake cupcakes with the very best vanilla buttercream frosting.

That means today I baked and decorated sugar cookies (first time doing royal icing no less), baked and decorated cupcakes, made three containers of shepherd's pie (two for the freezer, one for tonight), made a fruit salad and a vegetable, baked Irish Soda scones, and then delivered the meal.

Tonight I'm rather cranky because I keep looking at the cookies and they are not perfect. So I really want to trash them and start over, but I would have to sleep on the porch after my husband kicks me out and I don't want to sleep on the porch, so I won't. But, I'm warning you, Gina, the cookies are not perfect.

 

 

I am pleased with the cupcakes however, and that little old man in his easy chair was mighty happy to see supper walk in the door...

Joining Elizabeth's sewing circle

I was rather tickled this morning to see Elizabeth's Foss's new online sewing circle:

My knitting has left a bit to be desired lately, as I have been working on the same grey wimple for months. The good news is I'm on the last leg of the race and will hopefully have something to show you next week for Ginny's Yarn Along.

In the meantime I have lots and lots of sewing projects. Today I cut out a skooter short for my daughter Faith. I love, love this Butterick pattern (3832).

I have been using it for her for years, and even bought the next size up for her this year. I am the kind of person who buys a blouse I like in three colors. I have four pairs of the same capris in three different colors. I am fashionably boring. My daughter, however, is a fashionista, and she would not be pleased with the same skooter skort in three colors.

This pattern is great because it has many variations, all of which I have made enough, or are easy enough, that I no longer have to read directions (which is good because I cut the pieces out with the fabric wrong side out, and now her skooter ties on the opposite side from the one it's supposed to tie on). That makes sewing super fast. I cut this skort out around 4 this afternoon, left for ballet at 5, came home, ate dinner, and finished it by 7:30.

I just picked this book up from the library. It's The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom. I think I read about it at someone's Yarn Along and I can't wait to get into it.


Join Elizabeth and friends for more sewing projects and good reads.

(4/10)...streaming

You liked my bunnies so much yesterday, I thought I'd share a few more. My mother-in-law has been giving me bunnies for Easter for many, many years, so I have quite a few around my house. We even have some napkins and placemats with bunnies, as well as a tablecloth. There are bunnies on the walls and bunnies on shelves. You'd never know that I am not normally one for knick knacks.

We are on spring break from school this week, because it's Noah's spring break at school. The college kids already had spring break, so it's just the two younger kids, and my husband is home. I'm not sure exactly why, but I always get very little done when everyone is home -- I can barely remember to switch the laundry loads. Why is that? You would think with all this free time I would be zipping through projects, but...no. I think I am rather distracted by the question, "What should I do now?"

Speaking of projects, I have a few.

Last Fall, you might remember, our associate pastor asked for volunteers to help sew vestments and scapulars, and I volunteered. He hasn't asked me to sew anything yet, but I wanted to see if I could scratch together some scapulars, since he uses them frequently when he makes hospital visits (God bless the priest who enrolls the dying Catholic in the scapular).

I poked around on the internet last Fall, but couldn't find a source for large quantities of kits and/or pieces to make them. A couple weeks ago I mentioned it to Fr. Ryan after Mass -- the fact that I couldn't find kits. He told me that technically they don't have to have anything written on them, and, in fact, can be two plain, tiny pieces of wool sewn to the ribbons, "as small as your tooth." I had no idea. I managed to find some 100% wool pieces on the internet and starting embroidering scapulars, with A/M on one side and Chi Rho on the other.

 But still that voice nagged at me in my head to keep searching, and finally one day, I must have entered just the right search terms into the search engine and I landed on this website which sells scapular kits in quantities of 100.

These I can make assembly line fashion and Fr. Ryan can have all the scapulars he needs.

I really like the embroidered ones, however, and decided to make myself one to replace the tattered one I have been wearing. I sewed while I watched The Gospel of John last week -- it was time well spent.

I am considering making them for my Etsy shop, but I have no idea if anyone else would want an embroidered scapular. And if they do, if I can keep up -- they take about four hours to make just one. But they are very special.

If you or your family needs scapulars, contact me. We'll chat.

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Besides keeping busy with rosary-making and scapular-sewing, I have quite a few sewing projects for the machine. I have two scooters skirt to make from this little girl pattern below, to match shirts I bought for summer (I am a "garanimals" mom and I have to know that there is a shirt that "goes with" each bottom. Yes, it's odd, I know).

I also need to make four outfits from the pattern, two for Faith and two for Doug's niece's birthday. They are too cute. I love these kinds of clothes, and I bought seersucker and gingham -- truly little girl clothes. I also bought the other pattern for myself, but I don't have any fabric yet.

I have enough to keep me busy 24 hours a day for the next five days.

 Unfortunately my family will still want meals and clean clothes.

I think we could just live off of hardboiled eggs, Easter candy, and leftover dessert. Don't you?

I best go make myself busy.

stained glass

Happy Easter Monday! Besides being the celebration of His resurrection and our salvation, I love Easter for all the beauty it brings. Everything Easter is beautiful, vibrant, stained-glass colors -- from the candy to the flowers to the pretty Easter dresses.

The last time you'll see my resurrection garden, I promise.

 A bunny pitcher filled with fragrant beauties.

 Sparkling crystal, colorful candles, and perfumed petals.

 My college boy...which has more hair -- the dog or the boy?

 An Easter dress clad girl with candy in her mouth.

 The bunny fruit bowl.

Gorgeous strawberries on whipped cream frosted cake.

 

The bunnies are everywhere

by the way...did you know that we have the Germans to blame thank for incorporating bunnies into Easter traditions. They do not, at all, have anything to do with the true meaning of Easter. I have a great weakness for sweet bunny figures, however, and they look pretty sitting all around my house. Faith asked why bunnies come out at Easter and I told her bunnies are a symbol of fertility and new life. Sounds good, dontcha think?

Happy Easter Week!