St. Damien Hawaiian Luau

Saint Damien's feast is celebrated on May 10th. I recently began a new job and I am still getting acclimated to my new schedule so I have a few posts that should have been posted over a week ago. 

Sorry!

Saint Damien has a very special place in my families heart. Not only is he an amazing example of what a person who dedicates himself to serving God and others but He is my dad's patron saint. My dad is extraordinary. We were never close while I was growing up as a young child but as an adult we have become very close. He has been a fighting force for me while I have battled several trials through my adult life... An abusive marriage, learning to be self sufficient again and being there for his two grandsons. My dad is a great example of someone who never gives up. Almost 5 years ago, he was in a motorcycle accident. A older man driving a truck hit my dad from the side while he was on his motorcycle. Since that accident, my dad has had to deal with immense physical hardships. He lost one of his legs, has had several surgeries to fix his hip, endured skin grafts and forgave a man who has never attempted to say sorry. This accident changed my dad's life. He can no longer work and still struggles with pain but he is always moving forward.

Saint Damien was a Belgium priest who was sent to Honolulu, Hawaii. He volunteered to help the people diagnosed with leprosy that were sent to the island of Molokai. He especially cared for the children of the community. He contradicted the disease himself and became a suffering servant and after 16 years of caring for those in the leper colony, He also died from the disease.

We are also close to the Hawaiian Saint because my husband is half Hawaiian and still has family living on the island. The customs are rich and the food is flavorful. Here are some pics from our Luau.

I hope you all enjoyed the feast of Saint Damien and I ask that you please say a small prayer for my dad, that he continues on his path of healing and that God may lead him to his next chapter in his life.

 

Damien, brother on the journey, happy and generous missionary, who loved the Gospel more than your own life, who for love of Jesus left your family, your homeland, your security and your dreams.

Teach us to give our lives with joy like yours, to be in solidarity with the outcasts of our world, to celebrate and contemplate the Eucharist as the source of our own commitment.

Help us to love to the very end and, in the strength of the Spirit, to preserve in compassion for the poor and forgotten so that we might be good disciples of Jesus and Mary.

Amen

Saint Damien, pray for us!

Menu Plan Monday 5/9-5/15

***This is for the weekly linkup called Menu Plan Monday on I'm an Organizing Junkie.***

Here is a break down of our menu plan for the week. It is going to be a fun week full of celebration and fun! I have included some more crock pot recipes towards the end of this post. I would love to hear about how you and your family celebrate throughout the year.

Monday: Roasted Lemon Chicken and Vegetables

Tuesday: Moco Loco Couple's Breakfast

Hawaiian Luau Dinner:

Pulled Pork sandwich with coleslaw on sweet bread

Pineapple Upside Down Cupcakes

Wednesday: Jambalaya

Thursday: Pasta Primavera

Friday: Portuguese Kale and White Bean Soup

Saturday: Leftovers

Sunday: Powder donut Family Breakfast

Pentecost Celebration:

Paleo Shepherd's Pie

Red Velvet Birthday Cake

CrockPot Recipes for the Week:

Roasted Lemon Chicken and Vegetables

This is my oldest son's most favorite crock pot recipe. We probably end of eating this at least 2-3 times a month but I get requests for it ALL THE TIME! 

Ingredients:

2-3 chicken breasts

2 cups baby carrots

2 onions sliced in 1/8ths

2 cups asparagus tips

2 cups diced red potatoes

1 lemon sliced in wheels

1 cup cherry tomatoes

salt and pepper to taste 

Italian seasoning 

olive oil

Drizzle olive oil in the crockpot and place the lemon wheels as the bottom layer in the crock pot. Place the chicken breasts on top of them. Layer the different vegetables with seasoning, leaving the cherry tomatoes for on top. Drizzle the top with olive oil. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low 6-8 hours.

Hawaiian Pulled Pork Sandwiches

My husband is of Hawaiian decent and he LOVES Hawaiian food. We are having a Luau in honor of Saint Damien of Molokai because he is my dad's patron saint and we always have some yummy Hawaiian recipes to choose from. My husband requested this one though. The pork in this recipe can be substituted with chicken as well but the pork makes it more authentic!

Ingredients:
1 bottle of Marinade (BBQ, teriyaki or 16 ounces of a homemade tangy marinade)
1 Tablespoon Paprika
3-5 Pounds pork shoulder
1/2 Cup chicken broth/water
1/2 Cup brown sugar
1/4 Cup soy sauce
2 Onions sliced
1 Cup Shredded carrots
1 Can Crushed Pineapple
Salt and Pepper to taste
Hawaiian sweet rolls
Coleslaw

Place the onion and carrots on the bottom of the crock pot. Place the Pork Shoulder on top and pour the seasoning, brown sugar, marinade, soy sauce, crushed pineapple and broth on top. Cook on low 8-10 hours or longer. The longer the meat is in the slow cooker, the softer the meat and more flavorful. 

Place coleslaw on the Hawaiian Rolls and place pulled pork on top of the coleslaw. Enjoy!

Jambalaya

I have actually never made Jambalaya in the crock pot before and thought I would try the recipe above (Click the link). I have to admit though that I hardly ever follow a recipe exactly and I can already tell you that I plan on adding 2 Cups of frozen okra and serving the Jambalaya over quinoa versus rice! Let me know if you try out the recipe and if you changed anything. I am trying to add some more variety to our diets that is healthy and tasty.

Portuguese Kale and White Bean Soup

Here is another recipe I will be trying for the first time. Friday is the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima so i thought it would be neat to try out a Portuguese recipe in her honor. I prefer healthy options that are full flavor so we will see how the family responds to this. I will not be adding the bacon as suggested in the recipe. I feel that bacon often over powers light soups like this.

Well that is it! I hope you guys have some good recipes to try out this week and enjoy the ones I shared.

Menu Plan Monday 5/2-5/8

If you have been reading my blog you can tell that I am a planner. I love lists, organization and at least having somewhat of a game plan about most of what happens in my life. I came across this blog that completely makes my organizational heart smile called I'm an Organing Junkie. They write a linkup called Menu Plan Monday and I got so excited that I am joining up this week!

I am really excited about my menu this week because we have a lot going on but I found some family favorite recipes to hold us over. Tuesday is the feast of of Saint Philip and James, Thursday is Ascension Thursday and Cinco de Mayo, we have the Kentucky Derby Saturday and it is Mother's Day Sunday! Here is a picture of our yummy crockpot dinner from tonight: Salsa Chicken! 

Ingredients:

1 can black beans (drained)

1 can yellow and white corn (drained)

1 can of traditional salsa (I use medium)

1 onion sliced 

2 chicken breasts

Brown rice or quinoa 

(Optional toppings):

Plain Greek yogurt or sour cream

Shredded cheese

Diced Avocado

Tortilla chips 

Spray your crockpot with pan spray or use a liner. Place the chicken breasts in the crockpot and combine the other ingredients on top of the chicken. Set on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4 hours. Prepare your rice or quinoa according to the instructions. Fill a bowl with 1/2 cup of rice or quinoa and top with the salsa chicken. Add your favorite topping and you are done! I added cheese, plain greek yogurt and diced avocado with some cracked black pepper. It was yummy! And I have leftovers for lunch. I hope if you decide to try this recipe out you enjoy it as much as my family does.

Kentucky Derby

Have you watched the Kentucky Derby before? I have heard that it is an amazing experience to be present for and the celebration lasts the entire week. I have never had the pleasure of being present at the Derby but I went to an amazing Kentucky Derby Party last year and my awesome cousin planned one this year! If you would like some info on this amazing race, check out this website here. It is the Official Kentucky Derby website and has access to information on the tradition, events and party supplies.

Its All About the Hat

One of the most famous traditions of the Kentucky Derby is the wondrous display of hats that will flood the Derby. The traditional woman's outfit consists of some springtime heels or sandals with a nice dress and big hat! I wasn't able to decorate my hat the way I wanted but I still have one and that's what matters. Men normally dress in some slacks and a button up shirt with a bowtie and straw hat or fedora. I bought my little guys some hats and they look adorable in them.

Drink of the Day: The Mint Julip

I made some fresh mint syrup to enjoy this delicious springtime drink at the Kentucky Derby Party. If you haven't made this syrup before it is super easy and have written the recipe below and then how to use it to create a delicious Mint Julip. This year I decided to try a Honey Bourbon Mint Julip because my husband gave me a delicious bottle of honey bourbon and bought me some Salted Vanilla Bourbon Raw Honey on our hike through Manitou Springs earlier in the week. 

Mint Julip

Ingredients:

2 cups water

2 cups sugar (or 1 cup sugar & 1 cup Vanilla Bourbon Raw Honey)

8-10 Fresh Mint Sprigs (for syrup)

Mint Sprigs (for garnish)

Crushed Ice

Bourbon (I'm using Honey Bourbon)

Make a simple syrup by boiling water and the dissolving the sugar, whisking together for at least 5 minutes. Cool and place in a covered container with 8-10 mint sprigs. Refrigerate overnight. 

Make a Mint Julip by filling a cup with Crushed Ice. Add 1 tablespoon of mint syrup with 2 ounces of  the Bourbon of your choosing. Stir and garnish with more mint

We had a blast celebrating the Derby with our friends and family. I love having an excuse to get dressed up and take some nice photos with my boys! Look how handsome they are!

Walpurgis Night

First... I am so sorry it took this long to get this post completed. I actually had this almost done and just forgot to post it! Oops! Mommy brain strikes again!

Saint Walpurga's feast day is May 1st but it is more celebrated on it's Eve on April 30th. She is the patron saint against storms, plagues and famine. Walpurgis Night is celebrated mostly in Europe in Germany. We celebrated with a fire inside since we are still getting snow... but it is a tradition to have a bonfire. I have to be completely honest here, I COMPLETELY mom failed our feast day plans. Originally, I wanted to roast some hotdogs and s'mores but I didn't think to double check to make sure we had all the ingredients. We have been on a clean eating menu so we have not been keeping hotdogs, chocolate or other sweet or processed foods in the household. Thankfully, my boys were so forgiving and didn't hold it against me what I had to break the news. I ended up having to make chicken strips and hot chocolate.

May Wine is a traditional drink served on this night or in celebration of May Day as well. If you click the link it will take you to a website that describes May Wine and gives you a pretty basic recipe if you are interested in trying something new this springtime! I personally haven't had the pleasure of trying this drink out yet but I certainly intend to this Mother's Day! Walpurgis Night is the beginning of all the May Day celebrations and often leads to May Crownings or other spring time celebrations.

I actually tried doing some research on this fun feast day and had a hard time finding information. I did find that Walpurgis Night was connected to a pagan celebration involving witches but obviously that is not what I want my children to associate this amazing saint with so if any of you know anything more about customs or traditions about this feast day I would love to hear about them!

Here is a great prayer asking for her intercession:

O holy St. Walburga, you most pure bride of Christ, from your very childhood your innocent heart was dedicated to God, and you did endeavor by fervent prayer and constant watchfulness to keep yourself pure and undefiled. Do you help me to keep the bright example of your innocence ever before my mind. You are now in heaven, in the company those virgins who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. Pray for me, O holy virgin, that I may esteem chastity above all else, that I may rather lose all things than commit a grievous sin against the holy virtue. Protect me in every danger. Grant that under your patronage and the protection of my heavenly mother Mary and my holy Guardian Angel, I may courageously overcome very temptation, and may preserve the wedding garment of innocence, pure and undefiled, and may see and enjoy God eternally with you and all pure souls. Amen

Saint Walpurga, pray for us!

{pretty, happy, funny, real}

~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life 

Every Thursday Like Mother Like Daughter ~

{pretty}

In honor of Ascension Thursday and Cinco de Mayo, we celebrated with chicken fajitas for dinner. I chose a chicken dish because Jesus ascended into heaven similar to a bird ascending into the air. Chicken fajitas are also a common meal in honor of Cinco de Mayo! I also made some delicious Honey Vanilla Chamomile Tea with Whipped Vanilla Bourbon Raw Honey and a splash of Honey Bourbon as my night time dessert! I am actually enjoying my cup as we speak! I am so lucky that my husband took me out for a daytime date in Manitou Springs and purchased the amazing Vanilla Bourbon Honey in a little shop in the historic downtown. 

{happy}

So on the way to Goalie's school after a therapy session we passed a fire department we don't normally see since it is not on our usual route to school. Goalie noticed it and felt that we really needed to bring the firefighters something. I promised him that I would take him to bring some pictures another day because we had to get to school since we were already late. Well... Goalie took it upon himself to make some construction paper robots and begged me to take him to the fire department when I picked him up from school. How could I say no? So we puller up and he gave his gift to Fire Fighter Mike. He was so awesome! He gave Goalie a firefighter hat, sticker badge and a cup with a fire fighting dalmatian on it. He even let him get into the fire truck! I am so blessed to have such affectionate children. It was an awesome experience and truly made Goalie's day!

In addition to our impromptu stop at the fire department, I received a call from Little Man's school to inform me that he had made drastic improvements in his reading levels and they wanted to recognize him. God truly rained down his blessings on us this week. 

{funny}

We always love having game night! This past Tuesday we pulled out a couple family favorites: Jenga, Candy Land and Chutes and Ladders. Unfortunately the hubby was stuck at work but the boys and I still had some fun mommy-son time. We are already discussing when we will plan our next family game night. I really want to add some more games to our families collection. Do you have any family favorites?

{real}

My husband and I have been getting back onto our regular workouts finally and we are already starting to see results! We have been sticking to a clean eating diet and adding more cardio to our regular workout routines. I do love working out with my husband and I think his motivation and dedication has helped me progress more than I would alone. I am also being mentored by an amazing friend named Heather and she has really kept me on a consistent routine.

I also would like to add that the Pentecost Novena starts tomorrow! So make sure to get ready! I hope everyone enjoyed Star Wars Day yesterday (May the 4th be with you) and Ascension Thursday/ Cinco de Mayo! We are looking forward to the Kentucky Derby and Mother's Day this week too!

Summer Time Bucket List 2016

I cannot believe that the school year is ending in 3 weeks! There are so many things to do in this beautiful area and we have made a list of things we would like to experience together as a family. Of course we will be going to the pool, splash pads and parks but I am sure there will be days that we won't want to be out in the sun all day or maybe the weather won't be conducive to being outdoors or maybe we just decide to make some memories together! Some of these places we have visited already but they offer special events throughout the year or every time you visit it is a new and exciting experience.

List of Things to accomplish and locations we need to visit!

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Denver Zoo

Royal Gorge Train

Royal Gorge Bridge and Park

Berry Patch Farms

Patsy Candy Tour

Peterson Air and Space Museum

Colorado Springs Pioneer Museum

Williams Fire Museum

Focus on the Family Visitor Center

Canon Balloon Classic

Manitou Springs Cliff Dwelling

Manitou Springs Incline

Miramont Castle

Cave of the Winds

Aquarium

Arkansas River Rafting Trip

Camping Trip

Visit a Lake

In addition to the list above I highly recommend that you check out some of the following summer programs to fill the long days of summer without spending extra money. My family is always trying to be frugal so I love programs like the ones listed below that allow me to have fun with my family without spending more than our budget allows because they are free or not much for each event. Checkout my post about Saving Money too. We utilize these money saving options and others to be able to afford our more expensive family outings!

Kids Skate Free

Kids Bowl Free

Cinemark Summer Movie Clubhouse

Chuck E Cheese Reward Calendars

Home Depot Workshops

Lowe's Build & Grow

Michaels Family Craft Time

Geocaching

Although I wish our entire summer could be fun, fun and more fun. Both of my boys need schooling during the summer to ensure they have a strong start to their upcoming school years. Little Man will be in the Fourth grade!! I can hardly believe it. He was really struggling with his reading last year but we have made some amazing progress and it looks like he will be getting all A's on his last report card... he just had them on his latest progress report. Goalie on the other hand will be going to kindergarten after two years in preschool, speech therapy, occupational therapy and behavioral therapy so I am a little nervous with him being in big boy school! I found some fun educational activities we will be participating in throughout the summer to keep everyone on track.

Book Adventure

Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge

Barnes & Nobles Summer Reading

PPLD Summer Program

As you can see, there is such an amazing amount of fun things to do here that I am sure we won't make it through this list in one summer but I can promise you that we will be making a great effort! We are still new to the area so I am always open to suggestions of places we should try out! These are the things that I think my family would really enjoy and I am sure that I will be updating this with more information as I come across it so please come back and check this post again.

Mindfulness

Recently I have been feeling overwhelmed by some different situations that have been going on in my life. I truly believe in the phrase "If God has brought you to it, God will see you through it." But I still often struggle with the anxiety of uncertainty. My mind becomes overwhelmed with so many thoughts of different outcomes from each scenario and the "what ifs" start collecting on top of me and I can physically feel the weight of all these thoughts begin to choke me. I will have a hard time breathing and focusing and the pain inside my chest will continue to grow until the tears flow. I have always struggled with anxiety. It is something that I have to work on in my daily life on a regular basis.

Praying and running have always been the two things that truly help me when I feel like I am drowning in my anxiety. Praying allows me to become still and quiet. It calms the anxiety inside me into something I can manage. Running releases the pent up anxiety and sends it away for a brief time. I have even incorporated praying the rosary while I run. Running and praying at the same time have had many benefits for me. I am able to complete a daily rosary and I can normally run a little over 2 miles before I finish. Anxiety is a wild beast that lives within me and can only be tamed if I utilize these coping skills or meditation, like Mindfulness.

Mindfulness, for me, is a type of prayerful moment. I am quiet and I think about the exact moment I am in. For example...
I was at my son's football practice and my mind was racing. I was trying to figure out how to accomplish my week and all the things I needed to add to my do list.  I closed my eyes and erased all the thoughts from within me and I try to focus on things that are happening "in the moment" and think about my blessings.

I am blessed I am physically able to be present at my son's football practice. I am blessed to be able to enjoy the beautiful weather outside. In this moment I am here with my children and that is all that matters in this very moment. Take a deep breath and enjoy this moment for what it is and what it offers you. 

You cannot live in your past and you certainly shouldn't try to live in your future. That is what I have come to understand anxiety is for me. I am overthinking situations that I cannot change and the outcome cannot be changed or I am overthinking what the future holds and how my different choices will lead me down different paths that I cannot see through. Learning to literally live "in the moment" is an amazing feeling.

Nowadays anxiety and depression are quite common and there are saints you can ask to intercede on your behalf that also had to deal with the same issues.

Saint Dymphna is a good one but there is a whole list here.

I wrote this post in an effort to help those that may suffer from the same issues as me and so that I have something to look back on when I am having a bad day. I hope it's helpful.

Saint Catherine of Siena

I will probably be flooding my blog with the unfinished posts I have stacking up in my draft box this upcoming week! Just a warning! This week I should be able to get caught up and still with a couple blogs that I have been thinking about doing as well :)

This past Friday was the feast of Saint Catherine of Siena. She is the patron Saint of Italy, Fire Fighters and miscarriages. In honor of Saint Catherine I took the boys for haircuts since she is known for cutting her own hair to keep any man from wanting to marry her because she made a vow to completely dedicate herself to God. It was nice to be able to correlate the story of Saint Catherine with this act because I think these memories of celebrating our faith in our daily lives will ultimately be what my children use as they grow into young men of faith. I wish we could have gone to the Firefighter museum as well but as you can see in the background of Little Man's picture we received more snow and I am still not comfortable driving around in it. We were able to go to Swirly Cow for a frozen yogurt treat to celebrate Little Man's straight A's on his progress report and Goalie's great progress in therapy!

Saint Catherine is such an inspiring saint and she wrote so many inspirational quotes. Some of my favorite are listed below:

"Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire."

"The human heart is always drawn by love."

"Out of darkness is born the light"

"Love transforms one not what one loves."

"Start being brave about everything. Drive out darkness and spread light. Don't look at your weaknesses. Realize instead that in christ crucified you can do everything."

I love that I get a chance to learn more about these amazing saints as I teach my boys about the over abundance of love that God has for all of us and giving them examples of mean and women who did so much to help people realize the immensity of this love.

Saint Catherine, pray for us!