If Anyone is Interested

Thanks to +JMJ+ who referred me to The Sensible Bond. He has a great post about his reasons why he left the SSPX. It is a very deep article. ( I had to pray to the Holy Spirit a few times) but well worth the long read, if you are interested in this controversy. I feel this article of his gives me hope that my parents might come back someday.

More Mailboxes!

Both of these great mailboxes were emailed to me from Tracy at Pinewood Castle. She has some great pictures of mailboxes, go see! I bet every one of these mailboxes has a story. Now, wouldn't that be interesting? I have to say, I do think Paula's is my favorite. I imagine her going to the mailbox and bears and snakes hiding in the grass, I can hear the crickets and grasshoppers everywhere. I love the country. Her mailbox is a perfect picture of country!

Keep them coming everyone! I love them all!

Mother Mary, Help Me

This is a favorite prayer of mine that I save for those times in need. Those sad or lonely or desperate or just in those times of trial.

Holy Queen, mother of mothers,

consolation and protectress of all Christian motherhood,

Mother Mary, help me.

In all the trials and sorrows that come into my day,

Dear Mary, help me.

When I am tired with my labors and despondency is upon me,

Dear Mary, help me.

When all looks dark and I find none to speak a consoling or cheering word,

Dear Mary, help me.

When I am wearied by the weight of countless vexing little things and my patience is sorely tried,

Dear Mary, help me.

In the impatience and rudeness of others, by the example of your mildness,

Dear Mary, help me.

When others speak sharply to me and I would speak harshly in return, that I may show the gentleness of you own kindly speech,

Dear Mary, help me.

When my efforts seem to bear so much little fruit and to be so little appreciated and I am discouraged,

Dear Mary, help me.

When a thousand worrisome distractions and annoyances come into my day and it seems so hard to keep my peace of heart,

Dear Mary, help me.

When all others seem to fail, then especially with the sweet support of your gentle aid,

Dear Mary, help me.

In all things, Mother, assist me!

That I may, like you, with patience turn all my trials into spiritual treasures; that I may grow ever more like you, the cherished queen of the most holy family,

Dear Mary, help me!

Tonight in the Adoration chapel, I had one of those nights where all the way there, I was choked up and knew I was going to cry and let it all out and give it to Jesus. I bet I cried for 45 minutes. I'm OK, hey, I was with our Lord. He makes all things new. Sometimes things just need to come out and He is there waiting for us, all of us. Waiting to heal. Waiting to hear what is on your mind. Waiting to forgive. Waiting to listen. Waiting to be heard.

I have evaded to it a little lately. Probably because it is constantly on my mind. SO I am just going to say it. My parents have left the Roman Catholic Church and now belong to the SSPX. There, I said it. I am not even going to link it because it is not worthy of linkage in my mind. Now please do NOT send me comments trying to give me your side of why you might think the Society is right, because I will disagree to the end. I will die for this faith that I have. This faith that is headed by Jesus Christ. This Faith that has the Chair of St Peter. That is where I will stay forever. Where Peter is, there I will be also.

I am just venting I guess what is on my mind. My parents left almost 2 years ago and you'd think it would be easier. But it is harder. My daughter, Ballerina Rosie is asking questions, as is Jedi. My parents of course think they are right and have no problems telling the kids and well, it just makes things really, really hard. I just don't understand how they can out right say "we are not in full communion with the Holy Father." Yet at the same time say they are not against him. Well, I tell you, their newspapers they have sent to our home are all against the Holy Father with their negative articles.

I know the Roman Catholic Church has some liberal issues, but I DO believe it is getting better. I have hope. I think we that stay are the persecuted, we want it like they have it, we want the reverance, we want it all, but we are waiting for it to be done right, through the Holy Father. With the Holy Father.

My parents have changed, they are SO different. Not in a better way. In a weird way. In a Johovahs Witness kind of way. (for lack of a better way to say it) It is their life. Their life revolves around their religion, and trying to save us "new Mass people" and my life revolves around my faith, my husband and teaching my children.

Along with my parents are my little sister and one of my brothers. I know God wants me to stand firm, stay the course. But it is hard without family. It is hard not really knowing them anymore. They are all 4 Godparents to some of my children.

Through my whole conversion, I had the support of my family, they had a sort of conversion also at the same time, we were in it together. Now it feels lonely. Not many people will even know what I'm talking about here. Not many people know the difference between them and us. That is one of those hard things. Because they call themselves Catholic, it deceives others who maybe don't know their faith as much. I have aunts and uncles who I'm sure don't think there is anything wrong and they think "wow, they are really pius and holy" I'm made to look as if I've done something wrong, when I am the one who is firm in my faith.

I am just trying to keep it a little real here, I am just a normal person with problems like anyone else. We all have our sorrows. We all have our little crosses in life.

Dear Lord, thank You for our crosses in life. Help us to carry them. Help us to do with them what You want us to do. Lord, Make us Saints!

Another Mailbox!

This is Jill's mailbox!! I'd link her, but she has a private blog! She lives in Luxembourg and I can just imagine her and her 4 beautiful children going to the mailbox every day and hoping for mail from the U.S.! Thanks Jill for sending this photo!!

Anyone else?

I Did It!

I finally worked out!! Ok, it was only the 1-mile but it does feel good. I am TOTALLY out of shape. I guess those walks to the park pushing 80-90lbs of kids in the double stroller is not doing it for me! I actually broke a sweat doing the 1-mile!! That's terrible! When I did the arm stretchie, I couldn't wait til she was done. I used to think the 1-mile was just for fun and never broke a sweat. I used to do it on those days when I didn't have time for anything else. Now, I barely "fit" it in today. Well, it is a step. I DO have to give a plug for Leslie Sansone and her workout programs, I DO love them. I have this one, (and several others)the Express set, (I got a couple years ago at Sam's club for like $19) She is so encouraging and fun to workout with/to.

My coffee ran out today and I am not planning on buying more. I need to start eating a good breakfast, not just my leisurely coffee at 9:30 with a granola bar. Even if I have to gag through it, I have to do it. I say that now, but I know I will end up having a large glass of Ovaltine chocolate milk instead. It's always the same thing, I need to change my life. I need to get a schedule. I need to GET UP EARLY!! My friend Sarah, came to visit me last Friday (overnight visit!) and she loaned me a CD (I can't remember what it was called) but it had priests on it who sang and chanted and talked a little. One priest right away in the beginning said this: "the hardest part of my day is getting out of bed. Once I get out of bed and start my prayer it makes no difference." I could meditate on that one quote all day! It's true,and totally me, except by 2pm I am falling asleep during reading time. I'd have to say this is one of my biggest struggles. (my parents being the other but I'm not going to go there)

How is your Consecration going? Tomorrow is the end of the first 12 preliminary days. Which means after tomorrow the prayers get a little harder. By the 3rd week when the rosary is added, it gets really hard. (with kids, that is) During this whole consecration time I always start really looking at myself and my life and try to change those things that need changing. (I guess I try to do that all the time, but more during this time) I think it becomes more focused. SO that is how it is going for me, how about you?

Mailboxes (Part 2)

This is from Paula! I LOVE it!! Ever since I posted the previous post, I have been thinking, I actually love mailboxes, period. I love any kind, old ones, etc, they are cool and a daily part of all of our lives. They can bring joy, sadness, stress, hope all in a trip to the mailbox!!

This is our old mailbox before we moved last fall. I guess I couldn't wait to be able to plant flowers all around our new home's mailbox because our old one would not let me. You can see it is barely on a ditch, it has about 1 foot and it slopes down. All the water from any rain or melting snow would come down the hill and across the street to our mailbox and so it was impossible to plant anything that would stay. (believe me, I tried a few years!! Actually, I think I tried every year!) I would love if any of you bloggers would show me your mailbox on this mailbox tour, no matter what!!! I LOVE mailboxes!!

Tour of Mailboxes!

This is our mailbox. (above) I love looking at mailboxes. I love to see how people can be creative and make something plain be beautiful. The plant crawling up our mailbox is our Morning Glories we planted on May day, they are just starting to crawl up the back and by August will hopefully be flowering all over the top, kind of like this one below! When we moved here in Sept, our mail box had rock around it but no flowers. Yesterday we walked and took pictures of all the pretty mailboxes we could on the way to the park. (We took an extra long route) This one below is my favorite one. (although, I would do more of those bright pink flowers on the bottom!) I might have to get a Clematis plant next year! -They take so long to get to this though...

Won't you join me in this tour? If you have a mailbox to show off, take a picture and post it to your blog, I'd love to see it! I remember when I first started reading blogs, there was a tour of kitchen windows and I SO wanted to show off my kitchen window, but had no blog! (Babycakes was a baby and I had a picture of her in the sink by the kitchen window, she made it beautiful! I might have to show that picture tomorrow anyway!) If you don't have a blog, email me your picture of your pretty mailbox and I will post it to my blog, well, I will try to anyway!

Words to Live By

Humility: Seeing your place and taking it.


-Heard in the EWTN Mass Homily today. Pondering it. Leaving the computer now to play with my children.

P.S. I have some new recipes posted at my kitchen blog!

P.P.S. I am not on break...I just had to leave the computer at that time, the quote fit with my day and what I needed to do. Just sayin'!

Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Do you wear a Scapular? The most amazing thing about the Brown Scapular is the Scapular Promise given by Our Blessed Mother to St Simon Stock: "Whosoever dies wearing this Scapular shall not suffer eternal fire." Wow, why not? To St Dominic she said "One day through the Rosary and Scapular I will save the world." There are not many specific things Mary has told us to do, at least not more than we can handle. We wear the Scapular because our Mother told us to do it. Simple as that.

This is the one I wear. I do take off the medals though, because they wear out the cords within a week with them on. This is a childs Brown Scapular, I get the one with the long cord, so it can be tucked inside you know what. Does it itch? Yes. Does it bother me? Yes. Does it bother others? Probably. Does it make people constantly say, "your tag is sticking out?" Yes. I am actually amazed at the people who have never heard of a Scapular. Let me clarify that, I am amazed at the Catholics who have never heard of a Scapular. There are so many miracles that have happened because of the Brown Scapular. I do attribute grace in my life to the Brown Scapular and the Rosary of course. When I'm wearing it, I am constantly reminded of Jesus. Now how can constantly being reminded of our Lord be bad?

This book for children explains some of the miracles associated with the Brown Scapular. You can get free Brown Scapulars here. Or order like the one pictured here.

Our Lady of Fatima appeared with the Scapular in her hands, dressed as Our Lady of Mt Carmel, just at the end of the MIRACLE OF THE SUN at Fatima in 1917, and Lucia, who saw Our Lady and spoke with Her, said: "She wants EVERYONE to wear it."

Prayer to Our Lady of Mount Carmel"Flos Carmeli"

- Prayer of St. Simon Stock

O beautiful Flower of Carmel, most fruitful vine, Splendor of Heaven, holy and singular, who brought forth the Son of God, still ever remaining a Pure Virgin, assist me in this necessity. O Star of the sea, help and protect me!Show me that Thou art my Mother.

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to Thee!

Mother and Ornament of Carmel, Pray for us!

Virgin, Flower of Carmel, Pray for us!

Patroness of all who wear the Scapular, Pray for us!

Hope of all who die wearing the Scapular, Pray for us!

St. Joseph, Friend of the Sacred Heart, Pray for us!

St. Joseph, Chaste Spouse of Mary, Pray for us!

St. Joseph, Our Patron, Pray for us!

O sweet Heart of Mary, Be our salvation!

One Word Meme

How hard can this be? I thought it would be easy, so here goes!


1. Where is your cell phone? Purse
2. Your significant other? Work
3. Your hair? Pony
4. Your mother? Disobedient
5. Your father? Disobedient
6. Your favorite thing? Children
7. Your dream last night? None
8. Your favorite drink? Dietcoke
9. Your dream/goal? Heaven
10. The room you’re in? Office
11. Your church? Catholic
12. Your fear? Sin
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Here
14. Where were you last night? Bed
15. What you’re not? Thin
16. Muffins? Frenchvanillainternationalfoodscoffee
17. One of your wish list items? Thin
18. Where you grew up? MN/CA
19. The last thing you did? Breakfast
20. What are you wearing? Clothes
21. Your TV? Off
22. Your pets? None
23. Your computer? Dell
24. Your life? Blessed
25. Your mood? Lazy
26. Missing someone? No
27. Your car? Montana
28. Something you’re not wearing? Bikini
29. Favorite store? Wal-Mart
30. Your summer? Great!
31. Like(love) someone? Yes!
32. Your favorite color? Blue
33. Last time you laughed? Here
34. Last time you cried? Confession
35. Who will re post this? JOT

There, I only fudged a couple times on the one-word thing. I am a talker, it's pretty hard to only use one word. I've always wanted to go to a silent retreat, but not sure I could do it. They DO intrigue me though. Maybe someday.

H/T Maggie-Margaret

The World's First Love

Every week before going to the Adoration chapel, I grab a book off my shelf in my bedroom. Never the same thing. Sometimes several books. Sometimes only my bible. Whatever I feel like, is what I think the Holy Spirit is prompting me to grab I guess. Tonight (Thursday evening) I grabbed this book. I absolutely love Fulton J. Sheen. I have read a few of his books and love his old TV shows. How I would have loved to have met him! He is stern, but gentle and you can just see the love in his face and in his words.

OK, so I skipped around and actually went straight to where I'd slipped my book marker and it was chapter 9: The Marriage Feast at Cana. (Yes, I do that on purpose, hoping that is what God wants me to read) Cayna, isn't that a beautiful name? I know someone who named her daughter this. Anyway, I could copy the whole chapter, because the whole chapter actually spoke to me in a few different ways, but I am going to share with you the part where Fulton Sheen is talking about a sick baby and how the mother knows and takes the baby to the doctor. So the mother is putting herself in the place of the child who does not have the knowledge to know what is best or cannot will to do anything to help himself. Here I will quote from the book:

"And as the mother knows the needs better than the babe, so the Blessed Mother understands our cries and worries and knows them better than we know ourselves. As the baby needs the doctor, so the Blessed Mother knows we need her Divine Son. As Our Lord mediates between us and the Heavenly Father, so the Blessed Mother mediates between us and Our Divine Lord. She fills our empty pots, she supplies the elixir of life, she prevents the joys of life ebbing away. Mary is not our salvation--let us not be absurd on that. The mother is not the doctor, and neither is Mary the Savior. But Mary brings us to the Savior!"

(The empty pots, he is referring to the miracle at Cana that day and how Mary knew they needed wine even before they did. She knew their needs, as she knows ours)

I thought this very fitting to read right before we start our Consecration on Sunday. Please join me in this St Louis De Montfort Consecration to Jesus through Mary. In getting to know the mother, you are only getting closer to her Son.

Ballerina Rosie will be 6 on Saturday and Monday we are having a "flower party" for her. SO I will be very busy and this is your reminder to start the consecration!!!! Please don't forget.

Blessings to you all this weekend. You are in my thoughts and prayers.

Summer Reading Program!

Barnes and Noble has a great Summer reading program going on right now. These are the free books Ballerina Rosie and Jedi earned. All they had to do was read 9 books and write their favorite part of each book, then turn it in. Barnes and Noble gave us a coupon listing the books that they could choose from.

Job Charts!

These are the much needed job charts that I found at Target while on vacation. You know that dollar section they have right when you walk in the door. I am such a sucker for that dollar stuff. It's always SO cute! These are weekly calendars that are magnetic. Well, we started yesterday and they have the opportunity to earn 50 cents a day if they do all their jobs. If they miss just one, they get nothing. I will only remind them once (or twice). Ballerina Rosie did wonderful and dried dishes the first time, and LOVED it! Jedi did not do so hot...that darn bed making and picking up dirty clothes. Today is another day though and another chance to earn 50 cents. Mary really does not care about it at all, but does want the chart up there! She did pick up a few toys yesterday though and help set the table. The goal is to get them to do this naturally. To naturally help. To do all these things automatically. It's a good way to teach money for Ballerina Rosie. As all job charts we've done in the past, we are always gung ho in the beginning and then somehow fall off and quit it...hopefully this one will work for a while.


I really like Jessica's ticket idea, we might have to try that next!


Yes, fake names were written on the charts so I could take a picture and show you! Crazy blogger, I know.

My Cute Bottle-Vase!

Doesn't this make a cute little vase for small flowers usually picked by little ones? On vacation, my hubby found a Dunn Brother's coffee place and all they had for Diet Coke was this little 8 oz glass bottle. I HAD to get it, just for the bottle!

Back From Vacation!!

Well, we are back from a week at this great Minnesota resort! The name is kind of silly, which is what got my husband's attention in the first place, I suppose, but the resort was wonderful! Below is a view of beautiful Lake Mary. Here in Minnesota, people go "up north" that means either fishing, or camping or to a cabin. It's how most Minnesotans vacation. Day one: (Sunday afternoon, after Mass) Check out the resort, check out the docks, the play ground, the put-put golf, the pool, the lake, the beach, the cabin. Then go get groceries. The kids were not very happy about having to go get groceries, but if they planned on eating on this trip, they had to go with! Now, my husband wanted to make it easy and not bring anything at all, no cooler of ketchup, mustard, pickles, syrup, veggies, salt and pepper, nothing. So we didn't, and the groceries came to $300 (for one week). Our van was pretty packed, we were not sure we'd fit a cooler. In the end we probably would have been able to and will next year. I did manage to sneak in banana and pumpkin breads for breakfast and monster cookies! (I'll post my recipe soon on my cooking blog, they are so good, especially frozen!)These horses were at the resort, for us to take walks to and see. They were SO beautiful!
This is our cabin! It was wonderful, it had air conditioning, a screened in porch and a kitchen bigger than mine! I know some people like camping, and that's great, but I really loved having a cabin to go to and make our home away from home! It was just so nice to have a place to spread out!

These are the brand new pools they just put in. They were nice and warm and the kids had a blast! Yes, those are all our floatie things! (we had more in the cabin) The dragon's name is "Focus". I have no idea why, but that's what the kids have called him for the past 5 years!

The first 2 days we lived at the pool. I love pools, I love the sun! It was so much fun! Then, day 3: I got my period. (is this blog now pg-13?) Yes, we have not gone on vacation in 3 years, yes, 3 years, and my period decides to come, now what are the chances? Well, I am not a tampon kind of woman, so I was quite worried. I get pretty crampy and sick for about 3 days after the first day. Well, God helped me out with this one, Day 4: the temps dropped down to the 60's! Too cold to swim! So we decided to go into town and check out things there! It also gave us a chance to play games in the cabin!
Ok, I'm a bad homeschooling mom, we did not go to the museum...there were actually 2 museums, the other one being "Maritime Museum" What is Maritime? I have no idea and was not in the least bit interested in this small town's museums...so we did not go. I think we still had fun. Maybe some year we will go. I know my friend Sarah, (the great homeschooling mom that she is) would have hit every museum if she were here...oh, well...! We did see Big Ole. Maybe it's his big feet they named our resort after?

I do have to say, this town was beautiful though, it is surrounded by beautiful lakes. (remember I live in MN, the land of 10,000 lakes) There were resorts everywhere. I can't imagine how this town must change in the winter.

Beautiful Noonen Park was one of our stops on our town day. There is a park across the street and this small lake full of ducks to feed and a great path to walk around.

Ducks are always fun to feed!! This might be my new header picture, what do you think?

On the last day we checked out this indoor water park! It was SO much fun, for everyone!! We want to come back sometime on a weekday in the winter! It was a great way to end out vacation. The time went by so fast. The week felt like 2 days, where did the time go?

I was able to read every night and relax. I finally went through all my art books I bought at the MN Catholic Homeschoolers Conference over month ago! I went through all my curriculum catalogs and circled everything I want to get and now just need to go through and write it all down and order in August. It really was a great vacation. Spending time doing fun things together, making great memories.

Home sweet home! Home always looks so good after being away from it. We were ready to come home. We were ready for our own beds.

We came home to do our own fireworks in our driveway!! The kids still love these small fireworks. Our neighbors even joined us! Jedi did ask if next year he could go to the "big" fireworks though...so I guess, our driveway fireworks might have to be exchanged for the "big" ones next year. Since we were gone for the 4th, I have no cool treats like Christine or Margaret to show you, but if I would have been home, we sure would have done those cool jello things!

I hope you all had a blessed 4th of July!