Our New Beginning in Colorado: 2016 in Pictures

I have read and seen so many negative comments about this past year. It breaks my heart. I truly believe that you have to see the good in the world and when we marinate ourselves in the negativity, it changes our perception on everything. I am refusing to allow the negativity into my house and into my mind. Life is full of ups and downs, happiness and sadness, it is what makes us human and this time on Earth meaningful. This year was amazing for me and my family and I would love to share how and why!

In January.... I met my cousin Sheldon because we so happen to live in the same state now! This was actually a picture taken on New Years of 2016! My kids still try to call him "Uncle Sheldon" all the time and it makes me giggle but this was an amazing milestone for our family! I honestly could not think of a better way to ring in the New Year and I am looking forward to continuing this again this year!

I also became a Nanny to help with my families finances and my kids registered for school here in Colorado for the first time! This is also about the time I started contemplating on bringing back and revamping my blog... at least the first time I mentioned it to my family out-loud.  

In February... everything was CRAZY! We experienced our first Snow Storm and the boys had their first taste of a snow day! There was actually snow non-stop for 3 days! The picture above was from the first day... maybe I should have shared the last day where our car was buried?! LOL

Spring Football for Little Man and Spring Soccer for Goalie also began, although it did not look or feel like spring at all! This was their first experience with sports in Colorado.

We also enjoyed a fun Super Bowl party (again with my amazing cousin, Sheldon) and he was pied in the face MULTIPLE TIMES because of his Super Bowl bets.

I also made the big decision to bring back my blog and renamed it, Pinot Noir and Prayers!

In March... We enjoyed our first Easter in Colorado! Unfortunately, we missed Mass because I was new to the whole "defrosting your vehicle before you can drive it when it's freezing outside" thing. I learned some valuable lessons in cold weather living.

This is also the month we surprised the boys and redid their entire room with Star Wars bedding and decor! They were the happiest little boys in the world!

Our first Easter in Colorado Springs was absolutely amazing and a wonderful way to end March.

In April...  we were able to enjoy the outdoors more and I spent more one on one time with my baby boys. We did a lot of Kids in the Kitchen and Clean Eating too.

This was my final month as a stay-at-home mom. I did Nanny a few times during the week but it was only for a few hours. I volunteered at the school as much as possible and finally got Goalie back on track for his therapies.

In May... we attended our first ever baseball game! It was an awesome experience! Check out Colorado Rockies: Our First Baseball Game for more pictures and fun. 

This was the end of the school year for the boys and the beginning of our first summer vacation in Colorado. I began my new job this month too!

We also enjoyed a Kentucky Derby Party. 

In June... we always celebrate A LOT! We have Little Man and my husband's birthday plus our 2nd Wedding Anniversary and Father's Day all within two weeks! It was Harry's 31st and Little Man's 9th birthday this year and we celebrated them together with a Finding Dory theme and went to watch the movie as a family.

We bought a membership to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and went on several breath taking hikes, including the Seven Falls. 

 In July... Little Man was able to train as an Altar Server at our new parish. In Florida, he had already been serving for a year so he was excited he was able to start in our new church too!

This month was full of Reading, swimming and working out!

In August... we had a 4th grader and a kindergartner! This was the start of the boys first full year at school in Colorado. 

My husband and I made a promise to plan dates to have special time together too.

This was the month I was invited into The Zelie Group and it has been an amazing experience so far!

In September... our family grew! We adopted two more cats, Shadow and Cloudy because we felt that they would be special additions to the family even though they were 10 and 6 at the time of their adoption. We were right! You would never guess they were older because they are just as active as our spunky 2 year old cat, Lemon!

We had our first experience at the Labor Day Lift Off!

We also became a scouting family and joined the Cub Scouts! We have a Lion Scout, which is a pilot program, so we are one of the first! And a Webelow! I'm still new at this so I would love some suggestions on how to help the boys with their badges etc.

We attended my cousin's wedding in Kansas and Little Man was an Altar Server! I also volunteered to be a catechist at the church.

In October... we finished our second seasons of football and soccer! Both boys had an amazing season! They learned so much and made some amazing friends. 

I received my first Little Catholic Box this month as a gift from my dad! 

The boys received their Cub Scout uniforms and attended their first big event as a Scout, the Boy Scout Centennial Campout! They shot BB guns for the first time and made their very own emergency cable bracelets. 

This was Goalie's birthday month and he turned 6! To celebrate we visited Diana's Pumpkin Patch and the boys even earned a Cub Scout Patch for completing the corn maze!

We were forced to buy a new car this month as well because our older one decided to crack an engine block while my husband was driving home from work one night.

This was our first Halloween dressing up together and we decided on a Star Wars theme: Little Man was a Flame Trooper, Goalie was Captain Rex, my husband was Darth Vader and I was a Storm Trooper. It was so much fun, I can't wait to plan another family costume.

In November... was filled with amazing food! We were blessed to attend a Friendsgiving and still do a traditional Thanksgiving at home and invited new friends to share the experience with us! 

We also participated in our first Turkey Trot (yes, we did dress like turkeys!)

Let's not forget...Goalie lost his first baby tooth!

This month was the end of our OFFICIAL first year in Colorado. We have learned so much and are ready to fill this next year with more neat experiences!

In December...there is so much to share, I barely know where to begin!

I was asked to join the committee at church to help with our Parish Faith Nights and this month was my very first one! It was Advent themed and we made Craft Advent Wreaths and sang songs.

I won a Mass Box during a Giveaway and hosted my first ever Giveaway during December!

We attended the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Electric Zoo Safari as a family! So many beautiful lights and even got a chance to see Mr. and Mrs. Claus while we were there.

Goalie was in a Winter Musical Production called the Big Chill at school and both boys won awards for Outstanding Student and their participation in the 100 Mile Club!

I also have found myself pulled into the Bullet Journal craze and am currently working on my first ever Bujo and adding some Liturgical Pages and trackers along with so much more!

To end this month, I was able to watch my children sing in the Christmas Eve Christmas Choir and it just made my heart so full, I could have burst! There were so not so fun things that we endured this year but as you can see, the good far out weighed the bad! And it will continue to be that way as long as we realize all the amazing blessings around us and never forget what is important! How was 2016 for you and your family? I hope it was filled with many blessings and that the upcoming year is even more amazing. You still have a couple more days before the end of 2016... let's go out in a bang! I am linking this with Revolution of Love.

God Bless!

Menu Plan Monday: August 29 - September 4

Here is our menu for the weekly linkup Menu Plan Monday: 

Monday: Passion of Saint John the Baptist

Honey Sesame Chicken

Tuesday:

Breakfast for Dinner

Wednesday:

Pork Roast with Veggies

Thursday:

Leftover Dinner Buffet

Friday:

Spaghetti Squash Marinara with Salad

Saturday: Feast of Saint Gregory the Great

Turkey Burgers

*Cherry Crisp for dessert*

Sunday:

Daddy is Cooking

Seven Spiritual Songs to Shine Light in the Darkness

This past week has really been a roller coaster. So many high highs and some very low lows. I am in
a group of bloggers called the Zelie Group. We started our first link up yesterday called Just Enough Info. That was one of my high highs for the week. That and my Little Man receiving his fall football jersey.

One of the low lows is learning that my youngest son, Goalie, is struggling with kindergarten. He is having good days and bad days but he will need addition testing (including autism testing) according to his behavioral therapist. He is struggling because of his special needs he is really having a hard time with children making fun of him. I can't begin to describe the heartache I feel for him. He is such a sweet, kind hearted child and to see him suffer by the hands of other children is so almost too much for me.

I really wanted to end this week on a high note, so instead of dwelling on the things that are to come and the things that I cannot to control, I have compiled a list of seven songs that are inspirational and bring me joy. It is ok to have a bad day or even a bad week, but we a mother's need to dust ourselves off when we are down because we are the light to our children and spouse. No matter what happens, we will get through this because this is where God has called me and my family to be. If you need me, I will be listening to these amazing songs and lifting my spirits because the battle is not over.

I am linking this to Seven Quick Takes, Talk it Up Thursday and Think Tank Thursday.

{ONE}

Better Than A Hallelujah

Amy Grant is such an inspiring singer. I love this song but I have to warn you it is quite touching. There are days when I listen to this song and the tears will start. Not the kind of tears that hurt your heart but the kind that warms your soul.

{TWO}

Ave Maria

There are several reasons that I love this enchanting song. My grandmother on my dad's side had a great love of Mary and this song. It is sometimes associated with Christmas time but I believe this song is appropriate any time throughout the year.

{THREE}

Lead Me to the Cross

Just the name of this song portrays it's importance. I can not list the number of times I have added this song to my day and my heart is filled with hope and love. I actually have this song added to my Devotional I do while running. I'll share more about that later.

{FOUR}

I Get on my Knees

When I was in high school I was apart of a Youth Ministry group and we did a yearly retreat called "Antioch". There were leaders picked from within our group and we were selected for "talks" and chose a song that represented our personal story that we gave throughout our weekend retreat. This song was chosen every year by a member of the Antioch team and it brings me back to a time when my faith was so strong and unwavering.

{FIVE}

Wait for Me
The first time I heard this song, I was explained that Rebecca St. James wrote it asking her future husband to wait for her. Listening to the lyrics I can understand what she meant but there feels like a deeper meaning for more. I can't really put what I mean into words but this song stirs something inside me that brings peace.

{SIX}

You are my All in All

The truth my life. Our Lord is my all in all. He is my family's all in all. In times like these we lean on him more and often times he will carry us because we are sometimes to weak.

{SEVEN}
Breathe
Breathe, just breathe. I tell myself this a lot. This is another Rebecca St. James' song and it has always been one that I listen to in times of great anxiety. The lyrics are moving and accurately describe my need for God. "I am desperate for you" 

I hope that these songs inspire you and bring some calming relief or uplift your heart and spirits the way they do for me.

God Bless!

Introducing The Zelie Group and Just Enough Info

As my friend Alicia from Sweeping Up Joy says best," St. Zelie was the mother of St. Therese the Little Flower. Somehow, simple Zelie Martin raised a Doctor of the Church. It wasn't because she was extraordinary-- quite the contrary. She seems especially ordinary from what I've read. But she had faith. She did her motherly duties with great love even in times of frustration.

Does that speak to you the way it does to me? I can't tame dragons or found a new religious order. But I can kiss boo-boos, peel oranges, and read stories. I can pray with my kids and take them to Mass. I can cultivate my garden with patience, trusting that God will help my little flowers bloom in His time.

The Zelie Group is a place to share this journey of Catholic motherhood with others who are trying to raise saints in the modern world."

I'd love to introduce you to the other members of The Zelie Group:

Kerry from Fishbowl Fortune

Alicia from Sweeping Up Joy

Kirby from Under Thy Roof

Amy from Prayer Wine Chocolate

Alicia has a way with words so I borrowed this little intro from her too! "In order to get to know one another, we in the Zelie Group are beginning a weekly link up called "Just Enough Info." It's an interesting paradox that in a time when people overshare on social media (TMI!), many are struggling to fit in and connect. Perhaps it's time to start sharing JEI: Just Enough Info."

 This week we are focusing on the topic of Books. 

This post may contain affiliate links. I would make a small commission if you click the link and chose to purchase something. I greatly appreciate your support!

1. What are you reading right now?

I am participating in a Reading Challenge so I am reading an assortment of books right now. Currently on my night stand I have The Happiness Project and the Fringe Hours. The Happiness Project is one of those books that I have started and stopped several times. I added it to my reading list because in the Reading Challenge, one of the books I am suppose to read is a book I have started but not finished before. I have not finished this book not because it is not a good read, I just get side tracked and feel like once I pick it back up I should start over because it is full of great information. The Fringe Hours is more like a self evaluating journal and book rolled into one. There is writing and places to self evaluate yourself and your relationships. I really need to learn how to organize my time a little better and create time for me and my husband. This book is meant to help you see your time in a different perspective and teach you how to find time for yourself.

I am also reading two Kindle books. One is called Just Breathe and the other is Invisible Wounds: Hope While you are Hurting. I promised to read and review Just Breathe for the author. Sorry it has taken me awhile Elle! I am really enjoying the story of Just Breathe and can't wait to share my thoughts more when I have finished. The other I chose because I struggle with PTSD, anxiety and depression. I have a complicated story that I won't discuss here but you can check out My Cross: Surviving Domestic Violence. Invisible Wounds are things that we all deal with but sometimes reading about how other people overcome and deal with these wounds is highly motivational and empowering to me.

2. Which of your kids books do you wish would magically disappear?

Oh man! My boys have a never ending collection of books, it's crazy! I think my least favorite book that they own is called It's Hard to be Five. The story within the book is actually quite catchy and I actually do love the illustrations. I love children books with the flowing rhyming sentences like this one. The reason I wish I could make this book disappear is because Goalie likes to use this catchy phrase when being told to complete activities. For example:

I asked Goalie to put away his clothes last night and I received a great big pouty face and a long "Oohhhh moooommm.... Why?" I explained that everyone has chores and they might not always be fun but we still need to complete them. In return, Goalie violently grabbed his clean "under-roos" as he calls them knocking down his brother's pile of clean clothes as he marched away proclaiming "It's hard to be five!" This is one of many fun tales that I could share, because according to the book and my son, "It is the HARDEST to be five."He will only be five until October, maybe I can suggest the book no longer has a purpose in the house at that point? Maybe.. we will see but I won't hold my breath! I am sure you all have a similar book in your household that causes havoc. 

3. What was your favorite book when you were little?

Even as a child, I had a great love for reading. I don't think I can narrow down one particular book but I can definitely chose a series! The Boxcar Children! I read every book in the Boxcar Children series. All the stories in the series are mystery based and allows young readers to be introduced to a family of children that are orphaned. One of my favorite aspects of the books was that the children had such close relationships and each mystery that they solved was a missing piece to figuring out about their family and each other.

I was blessed to have parents that wanted to encourage me to continue reading so they signed me up for one of of the Boxcar Children Book Clubs. I would receive a book or two each month along with little trinkets. I would beg my parents to check the mail at the beginning of each month so I could rip open my Book Club packages. I don't think they offer book clubs like that anymore unfortunately, but there are many resources for parents, teachers and homeschoolers who love this series too.

Please Join us and Link Up with your answers to this week's questions all about books:

1. What are you reading right now?

2. Which of your kids books do you wish would magically disappear?

or Which of your kids books have you made magically disappear?

3. What was your favorite book when you were little

or If you wrote a book what would the title or genre be?

Next Week's Just Enough Information questions all about back-to-school:

1. What is your best school memory from your childhood?

2. Do you have any back-to-school family traditions?

3. Markers or colored pencils?

Linkup Party Rules:

1. Please follow each of the party hosts in at least one way.

2. The blog that you are linking must be Family Friendly.

3. Link the individual post, not the main page of the blog.

4. The post that you are submitting must be on topic.

5. You are welcome to link up to 3 posts, old or new. Do not link the same post more than once.

6. Please Visit at least two other bloggers and leave a comment on their posts for each link that you share with our link up.

7. Please put a link to the party and/or link up button that you are participating in somewhere in your post so that other people can find the party, too.

8. By submitting a link to the party you acknowledge that the images in your post are either your original work or licensed as free for whatever you want. You give me and the other party hosts permission to use an image from your post on Pinterest and/or to link to your blog.

The Feast of Saint Bartholomew

Saint Bartholomew was one of the twelve apostles known by the name of Nathaniel. One of the most notable things about Saint Bartholomew is that he was martyred by having his skin flayed off of himself. He is depicted in paintings and statues holding his flayed skin or holding his skin. What a way to be martyred!

There is a town in Kent named Sandwich where there is a festival that celebrates Saint Bartholomew's Day. The festival includes a kid's "Bun Run" around the church at St. Bart's. On St. Bartholomew's Day, August 24th, children run around the church of St. Bart's. After completing the run they are given a bun. The adults are given a biscuit specially baked for the festival. The biscuit is imprinted with the date 1190 to symbolize the founding of St. Bartholomew's Hospital. Saint Bartholomew is the patron saint of cobblers, against nervous diseases, twitching and tanners.

In honor of Saint Bartholomew we will be enjoying some delicious deli sandwiches for dinner. We have football practice until 7:30 PM so having an easy dinner is nice. In addition to being a quick and easy meal, deli meat is cut (like Saint Bartholomew's skin) and Sandwich is the location of one of the biggest festivals celebrating him. We will also be enjoying some pumpkin cobbler! Saint Bart is the patron of cobblers, meaning someone who mends shoes but the play on words is too good to pass up. I also LOVE pumpkin everything so it makes this amazing Autumn weather we are experiencing feel that much better!

Pumpkin Cobbler:

1 Cup Brown Sugar
3 Eggs (Beaten)
1 Can Pumpkin
2 Tsp Cinnamon
1⁄2 Tsp Ginger
1⁄4 Tsp Ground Cloves

1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
Pinch salt
1 Cup Melted Vanilla Ice Cream
1 Box Yellow Cake Mix
1⁄2 Cup Butter (Melted)
1/4 Cup Oats

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together sugar, eggs, pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt, and milk. Grease a 9x13 inch pan and pour the above mixture inches. Sprinkle the cake mix on top and layer with the oats. Pour melted butter evenly over the cake. Bake for 50-60 minutes. Serve warm with a scoop of Vanilla ice cream!

There are several coloring pages if your kids are creative like mine here and here. I am going to keep this post short and sweet because I have something special I will be sharing with everyone tomorrow! How are you celebrating the feast of Saint Bartholomew? May you could do a shoe blessing since he was the patron of cobblers? It is more common to do one on the feast of Saint Nicholas but I am sure it would be suitable for today as well.

Prayer for the Feast of Saint Bartholomew:

Lord,

sustain us with the faith

which made Saint Bartholomew ever loyal to Christ.

Let your Church be the sign of salvation

for all the nations of the world.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

Saint Bartholomew, pray for us!

#WorthRevisit: Parish May Crowning

In honor of the of the feasts celebrating Mary the past two weeks, the Queenship of Mary and the Assumption. I thought it would be a great idea to share my boys first experience at a May Crowning. May Crownings are normally done during May but I think that it would be appropriate to adorn our lady with a crown again during the month of August. The entire month of August is dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary as well. I believe that I am raising my children to have a strong love for their faith, at least that is my goal, and this way a big milestone for us. I'm not going to lie, reading over this post from four years ago brought tears to my eyes. Time flies and seeing how much my boys have grown as young men of faith is heart warming. Here is my post I am sharing for #WorthRevisit with Theology is a Verb and Reconciled to You.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Parish May Crowning

I know this is going to sound outrageous but even though I was raised Catholic, I have only been to one May Crowning, and unfortunately I don't even remember it. I was talking to my parents about the ceremony and my mom mentioned my sister and I had participated in one during the year of our First Communion. I thought I had never been to one before, well today my boys and I experienced our first ceremony together! The ceremony was at Little Man's School and it was absolutely amazing, very simple and meaningful.

It so happens that today was also Little Man's last Field Trip so we didn't get dressed up for the Crowning. Next year I hope the timing works out better because I love getting the boys dressed in their Sunday best. The school attends mass Thursday mornings and the Crowning was scheduled to follow mass in the school courtyard. I brought Little Man to school and Squishy did not want to leave him in class so the teacher allowed us to stay and participate in snack and coloring while the courtyard was being set up for the May Crowning ceremony.

 Its the quiet moments like this that make my heart feel so full. I am so blessed with these children. Loving them makes me a better person

Squishy wants to be just like his big brother. He kept "helping" Little Man color his paper too.

Here is a picture of the courtyard while they setup everything. Below is a picture of the bells used to go along with the procession of the First Communion classes. I do not know the name of the song that was sang as the children processed in but it was beautiful... Maybe it was Salve Regina? I'm not sure so please don't quote me. The jingling of the bells complimented the song so well and it caused all the small children to fall into a silent stare, especially Squishy. He was quite restless because he missed his morning nap and was overwhelmed by all the activity but the beautiful colors and sounds of the bells calmed him. I was also quite impressed with the way they executed the performance of the song. There was an older woman holding up cards that had the corresponding colors to the bells pictured to signal the children to ring the bell of the appropriate color. I can still hear the sounds of the bells as I hum the melody to the song.

The children looked so adorable in their First Communion outfits.

Squishy was impressed with the beautiful clothes too because he kept saying "Wow" and "Ooo" as the children walked by, I tried to take a picture with him but he was not paying me any attention. :o)

Little Man was very attentive and was excited to say a decade of the rosary with his class. We also made a Consecration to Mary.

My Queen and my Mother, I give myself entirely to you; and to show my devotion to you, I consecrate to you this day my eyes, my ears, my mouth, my heart, my whole being without reserve. Wherefore, good Mother, as I am your own, keep me, guard me, as your property and possession. Amen.

 I was so pleased I was able to get a picture of the chosen girl placing the crown upon Mary's head. It was such a beautiful ceremony.

I will definitely be holding a casual May Crowning for our family at home this Sunday, on Mother's Day. What would be a better day to do it? It is also the Anniversary of Our Lady of Fatima!

Saint Rose of Lima: A Vegetarian Saint

Today is the feast of Saint Rose of Lima and we sure had a busy day! Goalie headed back to behavioral therapy today for the first time in two weeks and we are discussing having him tested for more disabilities including the autism scale. If you don't mind, please include my Goalie in your prayers so we can make sure he is receiving the correct and most beneficial assistance he needs. We are doing our best to keep away from medications and I am praying that the results from this testing won't bring pressure from the therapists to start medication. On a happier note, my husband and I had a brunch date this morning and are planning to enjoy some quiet time tonight with a Red Box movie and wine! These are the free/cheap dates for our Date Your Mate Challenge we are participating in until the end of September.

Well as I stated before, it is the feast of Saint Rose. Saint Rose of Lima is the patroness of gardeners, people you suffer from family problems, Latin America and the Philippines. Saint Rose was exquisitely beautiful. It is said, she was so beautiful that she looked like a rose. Hence the name Saint Rose. Saint Rose became scared that her beauty would turn people to temptation so she began rubbing pepper and lye on her face to diminish her complexion and chopped off her hair. She also gave up eating meat as a penance. She only allowed herself two hours of sleep each night and wore a heavy crown made of silver, with small spikes on the inside.

To honor Saint Rose of Lima's decision to not eat meat, I thought we would try a Peruvian Vegetarian recipe called Solterito.

Solterito:

1 Cup Lima Beans
1/2 Cup Red Onion (Diced)
1 Cup Tomato (Diced)
1 Cup Corn
1 Cup White Queso Fresco Cheese (Diced)

1/2 Cup Carrots (Diced)
2 Tbsp Cup Red Chili Pepper
3 Tbsp Red or White Wine Vinegar
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
Salt and pepper

1/4 Cup Black Olives (Sliced)
2 Tbsp Cilantro

Combine the Lima Beans, Onion, Tomato, Corn, White Cheese and Red Pepper. Season with vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Add the Cilantro and Black Olives. Serve over lettuce (optional).

While I was researching the background on this Peruvian dish, I learned that you can also serve it mixed with quinoa. That is how I decided to make my Solterito. I also omitted the spicy chili pepper and olives because I am the only one in this house who enjoys them. I was pleasantly surprised to see everyone in the house really enjoyed this dinner.

There is a beautiful coloring page of Saint Rose from Mod H Mary.

In addition to Saint Rose of Lima's devotion to penance she often wrote her thoughts about our Lord. Here is a small sample of some of her writings where Saint Rose discusses the relationship of struggling in life and God:

Our Lord and Savior lifted up his voice and said with incomparable majesty: "Let all men know that grace comes after tribulation. Let them know that without the burden of afflictions it is impossible to reach the height of grace. Let them know that the gifts of grace increase as the struggles increase. Let men take care not to stray and be deceived. This is the only true stairway to paradise, and without the cross they can find no road to climb to heaven."

When I heard these words, a strong force came upon me and seemed to place me in the middle of a street, so that I might say in a loud voice to people of every age, sex and status: "Hear, O people; hear, O nations. I am warning you about the commandment of Christ by using words that came from his own lips: We cannot obtain grace unless we suffer afflictions. We must heap trouble upon trouble to attain a deep participation in the divine nature, the glory of the sons of God and perfect happiness of soul."

"If only mortals would learn how great it is to possess divine grace, how beautiful, how noble, how precious. How many riches it hides within itself, how many joys and delights! No one would complain about his cross or about troubles that may happen to him, if he would come to know the scales on which they are weighed when they are distributed to men."

I truly believe that we all have struggles. Some are personal and kept secret while others are more noticeable and public. For me personally, I know that I have had some times in my life when God carried me because I was too weak to do it myself. I love Saint Rose of Lima for making it known that suffering is universal and a ladder to the gates of heaven. 

Prayer in Honor of Saint Rose of Lima:

God our Father, for love of you St. Rose gave up everything to devote herself to a life of penance. 

By the help of her prayers, may we imitate 

her selfless way of life on earth and enjoy the fullness of your blessings in heaven. 

Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who lives and reigns with Thee 

and the Holy Ghost, one God, for ever and ever. 

Amen.

Saint Rose of Lima, pray for us!

Queenship of Mary {Plus Special Gift}

The feast of the Queenship of Mary is a follow-up to the Assumption. The feast is now celebrated on the octave day of that feast, that is 8 days following the Assumption. If you started an herb garden or Mary garden on the Assumption, today would be a great day to give your garden some extra love and place a statue of Mary in the Garden.

It is traditional to Consecrate your family to Mary the Immaculate Queen on the Feast of the Queenship of Mary. If you follow the link, the website offers the prayers to enthrone a statue or picture and consecrate your family. It also offers a beautiful image of Mary that you can download and print for personal use. I also suggest checking out Catholic Mommy Blogs for another great post on the Queenship of Mary. If you are searching a neat printable for your kids to enjoy check out Real Life At Home  for a coloring page that your child can pick the crown they give to Mary!

Are you looking for toys that help your child grow in faith? There is a beautiful Queen of Heaven Peg Doll that your children will love! It is small and easy to carry around and fits nicely with Little People play sets as well. As a special gift, I have been lucky enough to receive a FREE SHIPPING CODE for my readers who would like to purchase one. Use the code PINOTNOIR to receive free shipping through Labor day! I have a son who plays with "fidgets" quite often due to his special needs and these are perfect for Mass. Something small to keep his fingers busy and allow his body to be calm and still. I highly recommend this beautiful doll. Checkout EmmausRoad on Etsy  for this beautiful doll and more. There is an option to have her create-a-saint for you as well.

I am linking this with the Monday Mommy Blog Hop.

For dinner I am preparing Chicken A La Queen. Essentially, it is a chicken pot pie without the crust. It is served over puff pastries of biscuits instead. This recipe is just like Chicken A La King but it sounds better and more appropriate for the feast os the Queenship of Mary.

Chicken A La Queen:

*Rachel Ray's Recipe... follow the link*

8 puff pastry shells, recommended brand Pepperidge Farms (Since most puff pastry shells come in packages of six, buy two -- a little extra never hurt anyone!)
3 ribs celery, thinly sliced on a long angle
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, thinly sliced on a long angle
1 fresh or dry bay leaf
1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced into strips
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons butter
3 heaping tablespoons flour
1/2 cup white wine (optional)
1 quart chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 pound thin asparagus, cut into one-inch pieces on a long angle
1 cup frozen peas
5 to 6 sprigs fresh tarragon, leaves stripped and roughly chopped

Preheat oven according to package directions for puff pastry shells. Arrange shells on a non-stick baking sheet then place in oven. Bake until golden, remove from oven and let cool.

Place a large deep-sided skillet over medium-high heat with 2 turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons. Add celery, onions, carrots, bay leaf and season with a little salt and pepper.

Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, until the veggies start to get tender. Add the red bell pepper and continue to cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Scoot the veggies over to the sides and add the butter to the center of the skillet. Once butter has melted, add flour and cook for about a minute.

Whisk in white wine, chicken stock and cream. Bring the liquids up to a simmer then add the chicken pieces. Bring back up to a simmer and add the asparagus. Simmer mixture until the chicken is cooked through and the asparagus is tender, about 10-12 minutes.

Add peas and tarragon and stir to combine. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, place 2 shells on each dinner plate and fill each shell with the chicken mixture. Replace pastry lid and top with a sprig of tarragon.

Prayer in Honor of the Queenship of Mary:

O Mary Immaculate Queen, look down upon this distressed and suffering world. You know our misery and our weakness. O thou who art our Mother, saving us in the hour of peril, have compassion on us in these days of great and heavy trial.

Jesus has confided to you the treasure of His grace, and through you He wills to grant us pardon and mercy. In these hours of anguish, therefore, your children come to you as their hope.

We recognize your Queenship and ardently desire your triumph. We need a Mother and a Mother's Heart. You are for us the luminous dawn which dissipates our darkness and points out the way to life. In your clemency obtain for us the courage and the confidence of which we have such need.

Most Holy and Adorable Trinity, You Who did crown with glory in Heaven the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Savior, grant that all her children on earth may acknowledge her as their Sovereign Queen, that all hearts, homes, and nations may recognize her rights as Mother and as Queen. 

Mary Immaculate Queen, triumph and reign! 

Amen.

My Sunday Best: Selfie Sticks & Donuts

I have a confession to make... and it is a big one. We bought a Selfie Stick! I never in a million years would dream that I would purchase one of these little things but the impossible has happened. We tried it out today before heading to Mass. The picture came out better than I thought it would. Sorry about the glare and slight blurriness. I washed our curtains yesterday and have not put them back up yet and WOW! The light just pours through our front window. I am hoping to use it to help take our Sunday Best pictures and bring it along on our hikes!

We are enjoying some slightly cooler weather so I pulled out a bright colored three-quarter sleeve shirt with my longer khaki colored skirt. This particular skirt is one of Goalie's favorites because it can swish when I turn. Little Man and Goalie decided to rock their cute little polo shirts and some khaki pants as well. I wish I would have gotten a picture of my husband with us. He joined us at Mass after his workout and went straight to bed when we got home, while I bought donuts! He has been working the late shift so he needs naps before heading out to work. 

I wish I had a cute little story or saying from Mass today but I think we were all recuperating from the past week. Goalie had a hard time sitting still but he didn't say much... just random noises like he sometimes does. My kids are the source of all my entertainment and today we were all just tired!. Little Man was able to sit with us today and he had fun watching the other altar servers helping the priests. 

Remember those donuts I mentioned earlier? Well, we have been doing a much better job sticking to our healthier eating plan this past week so we decided to buy some delicious donuts as a reward! Here are the two I devoured after returning home from Mass. A lemon creme and raspberry filled donut. They were amazing and I enjoyed another cup of pumpkin spice coffee in my favorite coffee cup. It says "To everything there is a SEASON... and a time to every purpose under the HEAVENS" Ecclesiastes 3:1. My husband bought me this cup when we had a brunch right before we moved away from Florida. This is one of my favorite lines from the bible and the painting of trees on the cup is beautiful.

This little cutie joined me as I enjoyed my after Mass treat because the boys grabbed their donuts and ran out the door to go play with their friends. I think my sweet little Lemon has been a little jealous of our new additions to the family this past week so I will enjoy the extra snuggles while I can get them. Saint Francis of Assisi said, "A cat purring on your lap is more healing than any drug in the world, as the vibrations you are receiving are of pure love and contentment." This is so true. Lemon's purring is making me so calm, I might be ready to take a nap too!

Both my husband and I work tonight so I am going to enjoy the quiet for a bit before I start preparations for the babysitter tonight. I still have to make dinner, organize the boys clothes for the following school week and make sure their bags are fully packed for school tomorrow. How do people figure out how to spend their Sundays peacefully the way God intended? I need some suggestions because I feel like I am insanely busy everyday no matter how I complete my household chores and work.

I am linking this to My Sunday Best, Good Morning Mondays at Darling Downs Diaries and Modest Monday at The Modest Mom Blog

God Bless!

Saint Bernard of Clairvaux: Prayer is a Wine which Makes Glad the Heart of Man

If you have been visiting my site you already know that I have a special connection to Saint Bernard of Clairvaux. A famous quote he said is the tagline of my blog:

An interesting fact about the time period of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux is that Abbots were responsible for preparing wine. Saint Bernard was the Abbot of Clairvaux.

Saint Bernard of Clairvaux is considered a Doctor of the Church and is often referred to as the apostle of the Crusades. Saint Bernard is also known as the Mellifluous, or sweet tongued. He is the patron saint of bees, candlemakers, wax-melters and chandlers. Saint Bernard was born in Burgundy, France at Fontaines-les-Dijon - the castle of the Fontaines. He was born into a wealthy family and had a very strong relationship with his mom. After her death, he decided to become a monk to avoid falling into the temptation of the world. He entered the Cistercian monastery at Citeaux with thirty young noblemen, including his father, brothers, uncles and friends. After Saint Bernard made it clear that he was making great progress in his personal spiritual life, he and twelve other monks were sent to found a new monastery. It was known as the Valley of Wormwood, better known as the Valley of Light, or Clairvaux. Saint Bernard had a great devotion to the Virgin Mary and was contributed with many miracles. Saint Bernard was a man of many talents and wrote often, including poetry and hymns. Check out Hymnary if you would like to listen to some of his beautiful songs. 

During my research of Saint Bernard, I came across a wine brand that references my favorite Saint Bernard of Clairvaux quote and speaks of the great saint in detail on their homepage. I will be checking out some places to try to find a bottle of J.Jencquel & Cie in honor of Saint Bernard later today. As of right now I have been unsuccessful because I believe this brand may only be in Europe but if I can't find a bottle of J.Jencquel & Cie, I will purchase a bottle created from the Burgundy region of France.

There are so many fun and simple ways to celebrate this great saint. Purchase a new candle, make some candles, change out the scents in your wax warmers. I changed our wax warmers over to autumn scents like spiced apples and pumpkins! Try out a recipe that uses honey too. There are many different desserts or entrees that incorporate the sweet ingredient. My husband bought me a Shadow box to hold my wine corks earlier in the week! I don't think he knew how appropriate the gift would be for this week

My husband and I used the quiet morning to enjoy a small hike and go grab a cup of coffee. Getting that hour alone was a nice, rejuvenating way to start the day and helped us complete our Date Your Mate Dates this week. A nature and adrenaline date all in one! I have to write him a love note tonight to complete the additional challenges for our first week of the challenge. I think I'll do it later tonight while I am relaxing with my bottle of wine since he is working late tonight. 

My family will be enjoying a delicious dinner of Crockpot Honey Dijon Chicken with rice and vegetables by candle light with a nice glass of wine for me and a bottle of sparkling wine for the boys! Maybe I will play a hymn or two during dinner too. I chose the recipe for Honey Dijon Chicken because it incorporates honey made from bees since he is the patron saint of bees and Dijon mustard as a play on words because he was born at Fontaines-les-Dijon. Here is the recipe I used.

Crockpot Honey Dijon Chicken:

2-3 Large Chicken Breasts

1 Cup Honey

1 Cup Dijon Mustard

1 Tbsp Miced Garlic

1 Tsp Italian Seasoning

Combine Honey, Dijon Mustard, Garlic and Italian Seasoning together in a bowl and set aside. Place Chicken in a lined or pan sprayed crock pot. Pour the sauce over the chicken and cook on low heat for 8 hours or high heat for 4-6 hours. Serve over rice and Enjoy!

Saint Bernard was such a brilliant writer! There are many quotes that are shared nowadays that he has been contributed to including:

"We find rest in those we love, and we provide a resting place for those who love us."

It is no great thing to be humble when you are brought low; but to be humble when you are praised is a great and rare attainment."

"What I know of the divine science and Holy Scriptures, I learnt in woods and fields."

"You wish to see; listen. Hearing is a step toward Vision."

I hope everyone had a great day celebrating the feast of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux! I know our celebration was short and sweet and sometimes that's all you really need. We will probably end the day with a nice cup of honey chamomile tea on our porch and enjoy the beautiful weather this weekend before hurrying back to real life and the craziness it brings.

Prayer to the Most Holy Name of Jesus:

{Written by Saint Bernard of Clairvaux}

Jesus, the very thought of Thee With sweetness fills the breast! 

Yet sweeter far Thy face to see And in Thy presence rest. 

No voice can sing, no heart can frame, Nor can the memory find, 

A sweeter sound than Jesus' name, The Savior of mankind. 

O hope of every contrite heart! 0 joy of all the meek! To those who fall, how kind Thou art! 

How good to those who seek!

But what to those who find? Ah! this Nor tongue nor pen can show 
The love of Jesus, what it is, 

None but His loved ones know. 

Jesus! our only hope be Thou, As Thou our prize shalt be; 

In Thee be all our glory now, And through eternity.

Amen.

Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, pray for us!