'Twas the night before Easter

Nathan and Teresa put out this nice treat for the Easter Bunny before they went to bed tonight.

Yesterday, we continued our tradition of dyeing Easter eggs with the Haupt family.  The Haupts are the friends we have chosen to be our family.  It's always a great time.  Patty always has a prize for the prettiest and ugliest eggs and my boys ALWAYS compete to see who can make the ugliest one.  This year, I won the prize for prettiest.  Landen added a new category, the most ordinary egg.  Our panel of judges was made up of Gerry, David, and Papa Butter.

 

Tomorrow, we will celebrate Easter and our nephew Isaiah will be baptized!

 

We wish you a most blessed Easter.

He is RISEN!

 

Colorful Holy Thursday

I honestly didn't think that we would make the Last Supper craft included with Teresa's preschool curriculum, Catholic ABCs from Catholicicing.com, but when a five-year-old comes up to you early in Lent and insists that you make a model of the Last Supper, a mom really can't say no!  We did not have two egg cartons at the time to make a table as directed, so we just taped it to our kitchen wall and it worked out just fine!  Today, as Teresa says, is the day we remember when Jesus had his last supper with his friends.

We also did a fun little science experiment this morning.  Color little bowls of vinegar with different colors of food coloring.  Cover the bottom of a baking dish with baking soda.  Then, use a dropper or medicine syringe to drop the colored vinegar into the soda. 

It is fizzy, colorful fun and a good lesson in how to blend colors to make new ones, too. 

(Idea courtesy of Pinterest!)  As you can see, it is also non-toxic.  Teresa MUST taste all of her experiments.

 

Happy Holy Thursday!

Make your own spring

Our little seedlings started poking up through their little peat moss beds within two days!  We have started flower seeds in one of these greenhouse boxes for several years now and it is always a welcome addition to our spring (or lack of it). 

They are inexpensive and easy to do--just pour in the amount of water called for on the package and wait a few minutes for the pellets to swell up.  Then, plant one to two seeds in each and put the plastic cover over the top.  I leave the cover on until the plants reach the top.  It doesn't take long!  Water as needed as they grow. 

The hardest part is finding places for all of these seedlings when they outgrow their homes and need to be transplanted.  Then we have plastic cups and little pots in front of windows for a few weeks until it is warm enough to transplant outside.  I have found it's best to wait until after the 15th of March to plant (in our area of South Dakota, anyway).  Otherwise, I have had plants outgrowing their plastic cups, too. 

Inevitably, a strong wind will come up and bend them over after we plant them outside in mid-late May, but the zinnias just bend back up toward the sun and keep on a growin'! 

I still give local greenhouses plenty of business with other flowers and plants that I don't start from seeds (and because it's just so much fun going to greenhouses!), but growing my own 72 flower plants for about $10 really helps out!

 

In other botanical news, did you know that shamrock leaves fold up at night and open again in the morning? 

We all do now!

We are One Body

As Christians, we are all one body in Christ. (Romans 12:5)  We are called to, "Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep." (Romans 12:15)
I have mentioned the Catholic Moms Facebook group several times.  It feels funny when I tell someone that these women are my "friends," but we all refer to each other the same way. What started out as a mid west group now covers the US and Canada.  We would love to have some sort of a "real" gathering, but that probably won't happen for awhile since, well, we're MOMS! 
We've discussed jobs, children, marriage, education, and ways to use ground beef.  Every day's posts have their share of rejoicing and weeping--births, miscarriages, triumph, and tragedy--we cover all parts of this brutal and beautiful life.  These women are prayer warriors and no prayer request is too small or too large.  Usually these requests are kept within our group, but sometimes, we just have to reach out to gather all of the prayers we can.  This past week brought one of those times.
One of our group, Theresa Robocker, lost her husband in an accident near Canistota, SD, while on his way to work Thursday morning.  They have 5 children and are expecting their 6th child this September. 
I've never met Theresa, but she was one of the first to respond when I posted a plea for prayers late last spring as I found out my baby would be going into surgery in the fall.  Her daughter had been born with a major heart defect, and surgeries have been a part of their lives since her birth.  Her timely encouragement, descriptions of what to expect, and prayers were priceless to me.
Now I hope I can help and support her in the same way.
A memorial fund for Jeff Robocker has been set up at www.gofundme.com/2dhux8 to assist his family with funeral and other expenses. 
Thank you to all of my Facebook friends who responded to my request for prayers for their family yesterday. 
I know they are priceless.

We are one body, one body in Christ, and we do not stand alone.
We are one body, one body in Christ, and He came that we might have life.

Blog Abandonment

I should be arrested for blog abandonment.  But . . . I'm back now!!  It was quite the eventful week.

 

1.  Our new nephew, Isaiah Luke, was born late last Thursday.  We hope to meet him tomorrow . . . or maybe on Easter (which will be his Baptism day) . . . it (still) depends on the weather!

 

2.  Friday and Saturday were spent preparing for the Confirmation dinner for 200.  We found out that 100 pounds of grapes is equal to 6 boxes and it takes about four hours for three people to take them off the stems.

We also found out that we should have scaled back on the number of servings that was suggested.  We did have about 50 fewer plates than we expected, but we still would have had more than enough grape salad!  Needless to say, we workers were paid generously in food at the end of the night!  Everything went very well, though, with the Confirmation students, their families and Bishop Swain enjoying the meal.

 

3.  On Monday morning, Roxanne and I ventured out into the arctic winds to complete a road trip that had been on our calendars since January.  We spent some time shopping and eating in Sioux Falls (neither of which ever disappoint) and continued onto Walnut Grove, MN to Junk With Purpose on Tuesday morning.  The store also did not disappoint!  I found this hutch after about three minutes of walking in the store . . . and a few other treasures as well!  David thinks we junk collectors are kinda crazy. :o)

 

Teresa talked me into this shamrock plant at the grocery store yesterday.  It looked pretty droopy until this morning.  I guess it decided it likes it here.  We also planted our greenhouse flower seeds this morning.  We will have lime green and hot pink zinnias in the front flower bed this year!   

 

We are ready for some COLOR!

 

 

"Mom! There's White Smoke!"

As it turns out, I didn't need to sign up for PopeAlarm.com (even though they did deliver on their promise of a timely alert).  I had my Teresa running down the stairs excited to share the news! 

I know it is just a simple thing . . . my five-year-old daughter running down the stairs to tell me something she knew we had been waiting for.  But, yet, it was such a beautiful moment that touched my heart.  She knew, in her own little, way that this was a big day for the Church.  She was so genuinely excited to see the white smoke pouring from the chimney.  It brought tears to my eyes--it really did. 

Thank God I decided to do my semi-annual ironing shortly before the Special Report so that the scene could happen as it did. :o)

I fail my children on a regular basis.  I may never read the school lunch menu or always forget about show and tell on Wednesdays or not make Teresa brush her hair when we're at home, (even though I should), but for us, it all comes down to THIS ONE THING--David and I providing a SOLID FOUNDATION FOR OUR CHILDREN'S CHRISTIAN FAITH.  When any of them show excitement about any aspect of this faith, it is better than anything else in the world for me.  Yes, I may fail my children once or twice in their childhoods, but I hope I never fail them in matters of faith. 

After a looong time of waiting, (and Teresa ultimately deciding cartoons were the way to go), we found out that former Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina, now Pope Francis, is our new Holy Father.  We once again have a Pope who will lead us, hopefully for many, many years, and, among other things, rebuild this Church as his namesake was entrusted to do.  He will need our prayers as he prays for us.

Habemus Papam!

(We have a Pope!)

 

Yeah, I picked up a little Latin today, too.  It really was a big day. :o)

Ramblings

On any given day, my Facebook news feed will include political statements from friends on topics ranging from health care to gun control.  How is it possible that no one--not one--of these political types have taken a stand on something that is so much more important, which is . . . getting rid of this totally unnecessary invention we call Daylight Savings Time?!?!  I would lead the charge, but I am just too tired and so is my army.  Nothing like jet lag without leaving the farm!  We don't want to eat when it's time to eat, sleep when it's time to sleep, or get up when it's time to get up!

As you may have also caught here or there while watching the news, the first day of the papal conclave is complete and black smoke rose from the chimney, which means no new pope yet!  I signed up for PopeAlarm.com, mostly because their catch line made me smile, "When the smoke goes up, know what's going down."  :o)

As posted on the Ignatius Press website today, "Catholics do not believe that the pope is perfect, or faultless, or sinless, or even necessarily good, holy, wise, or nice. There have certainly been popes who have made foolish mistakes, enacted ruinous policies, or been bona fide scoundrels. There is one thing, however, that no pope has ever done in all history, from Peter to the present day. No pope has ever taught heresy."
--David B. Currie from his book Born Fundamentalist, Born Again Catholic

I have not read his book, but I may in the future.  I also started reading Saints and Sinners, which is a history of Christianity and the Papal Succession by Eamon Duffy.  It's going to take some forgotten brain cells to get through it (I am somewhere around the Emperor Constantine right now), but it will be worth it!

It's exciting when I can see history being made.  Maybe it's because I simply like history and following back to where things began.  Maybe it's because, this time, our children are old enough to follow along somewhat with the process, too.  Mostly, I think, it is because it brings the Catholics of the entire world together, young and old, watching and waiting.  So much of Catholicism for me is about community, whether that being a line of us buying Filet O' Fish sandwiches on Fridays during Lent or feeling a connection to those gathered in St. Peter's Square today! :o)

And, with that, I have a tired toddler on my hands and will soon welcome our boys home from another day of school. 

Time to get back to wife and mommyhood!



 

Points

I recently replaced our old bathroom scale with a digital one.  It was an instant hit, with the kids so excited to weigh themselves.
Today Teresa stepped on and called to me from the bathroom, "Mom!  Come in here and see how many points I got!"
It must be like golf . . . a low number is a good score. :o)

stacking blocks & following the path

Rachel's new hobby is stacking blocks.  I think her record is 4.  Yes, I do believe that girl is a genius.  (And, yes, she is wearing a crown thanks to her big sister.) :o) 

Our days also have included moving along our Lenten path.  Since Teresa is ALWAYS counting the sleeps until something, this printable from catholicicing.com has been great in counting the sleeps until Holy Week and Easter Sunday!

Cooking for the Multitudes & a Recipe

Well, life has certainly picked up a bit! 
Not long ago, I was BORED.  God has such a wonderful sense of humor, doesn't He? 
I thought I had my March figured out.  I knew I had been chosen as a co-chair for the All Saints Confirmation dinner on March 16.  I know my way around a kitchen, I have prepared food for 100 or so people at our school dinner theatres.  Piece. Of. Cake.  Well, guess what?  Our little parish will be hosting up to 200 guests for this dinner!  It is absolutely wonderful to have 11 confirmands and their families to celebrate with them.  But--I'm really trying not to panic now!
My free moments have been spent talking to/texting/emailing my co-chair Kris and making sure we remember everything we need to remember.  David suggested last week that I take my list to the grocery store and have them box all of the ingredients, dinner rolls, etc. to have them ready for me to pick up a day beforehand.  The ladies at Customer Service started at me blankly when I asked if they have that service. 
Then they asked to see my list.
My list included, among great quantities of other things, 100 pounds of grapes.
We will pick up our boxes on March 15. 
It will all go fine, thanks to the ladies who will be helping us, but--WOW!  We are making what is known in the parish as "Funeral Hot Dish."  I think after this meal, it will earn the better title of "Confirmation Hot Dish."  :o)

Before I skedaddle off again, I want to share a soup recipe with you.  I've been a fan of soups this winter and recently found this one in a Quick Cooking cookbook.

Lasagna Soup

1 pound ground beef

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 pkg lasagna Hamburger Helper

5 cups water

1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 can whole kernel corn, undrained

1 T Parmesan cheese

1 T Italian seasoning

 

Brown beef and onion. Add sauce mix, water, tomatoes, corn and Parmesan cheese. Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer 10 minutes.  Add lasagna noodles.  Cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until noodles are tender.  Makes about 10 servings. 

 

I didn't have any whole kernel corn (just "floaty corn" in my pantry), so I didn't add it.  Also, the Italian seasoning wasn't in the recipe, but I thought it needed a little more spice.