AMDG Academy

He is Risen

A Blessed Eastertide to you all.  We hope your family had a blessed day and that his blessings will flow throughout all of Easter.

Here are a couple of pictures from our celebration today. 

Good Friday Stations Outside

We did Stations outside today.  The kits for making these lovely stations comes from here.  Sophie and I made them last year.   

Lent is almost over....

Things have been very quiet around here, in part the quietness has been intentional, a Lenten quiet .    In part things have been quiet because other things capture my attention and keep me away....regardless, some catching up is necessary.  I have to post some overdue Birthday pictures and such for far flung relatives.  Now, don't go looking for chronological accuracy or any other such thing around here.  If you do, you'll be disappointed. 

Secrets, secrets everywhere....

There are secrets and stash piles in nooks and crannies all over my house.   Everywhere you go, you're likely to be greeted by a "DON'T LOOK!!!"

I love sharing....so, here are a couple of handmade gifts already given.  The stocking was given in a Swap and I got the pattern from here.  I'm a total embroidery novice, so this was very rewarding...and quick!  Have I mentioned I love love love to knit, but I just can't produce very much in the little snippets of time I have to devote to things craftish. The robot has already debuted on the blog....he is affectionately dubbed "Robo" by 8yo Russell.  He was a birthday gift.  Robo was one of those rare handmade gift experiences where the giftee really appreciated the gift....so much so, that the work was completely worth it.  It really was worth it for me to be up to 2 a.m. sewing suspender hardwarde onto a green felt soft thingummy...worth every lost moment of sleep to see that big smile featured above.  You're welcome, sweet Russell.  The pattern for this little inspiration came from this darling book.  Lots more in the making....maybe another peek tomorrow.

Happy Our Lady of Guadalupe's Feast Day

Take one momma who wishes she had the energy to do all the cool and liturgically inspiring things for Our Lady of Guadalupe which she has pulled together in the past....and a one cutie pie toddler who doesn't care...and both momma and Jackie pants are smiling.  The cookies are not mine but these....and I thought they looked rather rose-ish.

I did bake the cake...using  a Silicone Rose Pan and used a Betty Crocker Strawberry Cake mix....shhhh!

Hope your day was blessed....mine was.

Advent at Our House

Okay....so I'm not ashamed to say that things don't always go like a well-oiled machine around here....in fact, they are more often likely to be real squeaky and I'm lucky if I can get it to go at all most days....  So, you won't be surprised if I confess that my Advent preparations were not completed before the beginning of Advent this year.....'

Truth told, I think I am growing in some meaningful ways.  In years past, if I didn't have it ready before hand, I would have thrown in the the towel, admitting defeat and just not done the thing at all.  Now, I can be more comfortable with my non-perfectedness.  I'm not going to misprepresent myself and let you think I am cozy with this imperfection...but I am more comfortable with my frailty, my human-ness, and my failings.  I can accept the weaknesses and keep going without being so discouraged and giving into a kind of petulant refusal to do things if I can't do them  my way. 

I am old enough and gifted by grace enough now to know that my way is most assuredly unlikely to be the best way. 

So, here are a few pictures of some of Advent preparations....some still works in progress.......  God bless you all during this Advent Season.

This one is kind of dark, but I love the way the Nativity figures look on this little shelf with the purple candle.  I have a real weakness for Creches.  This one is pink.  It's a real favorite with the little girl crowd.

The Waldorfy looking ones above, I made years ago....while Sophie was an infant in fact.  I made a second set at the same time in fact for my dear Non-Catholic friend Louise.  Where did I find the time?  They are all wool and soft and lovely.  I even made sheep and donkeys and shepherds and wise men. 

May Crowning

We had a May Crowning last Friday with our homeschool group.  I wish I had better photos...but here are a couple.  Doesn't Momma Mary look lovely?  Doesn't devotion suit my handsome little blonde man?

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Sophie got up early this morning and adorned our recently made St. Patrick's day beeswax candle with real shamrocks from the front yard.  Nice touch.  I had planned an Irish themed meal, but life with a newborn prevailed.  We had Thai take-out instead.....the kafir lime leaves were green.......

Happy St. Brigid's Day

Today is my dd9's Feast Day.  Brigid is her middle name.  She is getting a lovely St. Brigid Icon from Monastery Icons to hang up in the girl's room, some St. Brigid's Anemone Bulbs that I'll have to store untill the fall to plant...., a few sticker books, a general hoo haa made over her.  She really enjoys St. Brigid's Day.  We'll read Brigid's Cloak and make a page for our Liturgical Notebooks per Cay's idea in Catholic Mosaic.

We'll also celebrate a little in the kitchen.  For breakfast, we'll have a St. Brigid's Bread that is a tried and true recipe.  It is simple and a winner, so I am not going to try anything new this year.  I'm not even certain where I got it, but here it is:

St. Brigid's Bread

2/3 cup butter
1/3 cup sour milk
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 pkg. yeast
1 egg
1 cup oats
1 cup Bisquick
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. ginger

Heat butter and milk to melt butter in microwave (or melt butter and scald milk.)  Add sugars.  Allow to cool slightly and add yeast, stirring to mix.  Let mixture rest for 10 minutes.  Add slightly beaten egg.  Mix all dry ingredients and stir into yeast mix.  Lightly grease a Pyrex pie plate.  Pour batter and bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 15 minutes.  When done, allow to cool slightly and serve warm with butter.

For dinner, we'll probably have Irish Stew and some Colcannon.  Yum. There's freezing rain and sleet in the forecast for tomorrow.  Why can't we ever get snow? 

Lastly...I think I'll have the kids make up a little holy card gift...idea also from Cay, to give to my midwife on our next visit Friday.  St. Brigid is the Patron Saint of Midwives.  38 weeks today.......

St. Anthony

Yet again, this idea was borrowed from the very creative Katherine.  My kiddos enjoyed themselves immensely.  We didn't get around to making the Desert soup, but there's always next year.