OKR Part II

Since the season of Lent is upon us I thought I should wait until after Easter to work on the headboards. However, I wasn't taking into consideration the clutter this unfinished project would leave in the house and in what way said messiness might affect family peace.

So I chose to work on the beds during the weekend. I found some materials at the fabric store and took pictures, hoping you will help me make a decision. Do you like any of the fabrics? None of them? Is there one you think you would like in a different color, on a larger/smaller scale, or only with white wood? Is there one fabric that makes you cringe?

They are in no particular order, though the last (floral fabric) happens to be my least favorite. I look forward to your comments.

**Don't forget to stop over at Cheryl's for the Loveliness of Baking Fair. Her beautiful work on this carnival is sure to make you hhh-uuu-nn-gg-rrr-yyy, but it will just as certainly make your Easter feasting all the more glorious!**

Snow In Southern California

I was headed toward this when driving on the freeway yesterday. It was so magnificently breathtaking, I couldn't help but sing. (Somehow I managed to restrain myself from belting out the Alleluia from Handel's Messiah, but let me tell you, it was difficult!)

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The day reminded me of this lovely friend and her appreciation for all things beautiful, hence the photograph. And yes, I did take it while driving.

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Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

The Mind of a Child

I realized recently that I should take great care when talking about the subjects of death, heaven, hell and the like with the big girl in our house. For one, she is a very sensitive soul. When she inquired yesterday about the meaning of the ashes on her forehead I responded by saying that they were a reminder that one day we will die. And then she burst out into tears, asking, "Today? Today are we going to die? You and Daddy and Madeleine and me?" Boy did I have to work quickly to repair that damage.

Death and heaven surfaced on another recent occasion, when Gianna placed a chair next to Madeleine's bedroom window. I removed it and explained the danger that her sister could climb up on the chair and fall over the ledge. She replied by insisting such an occurrence would be okay because Madeleine would go to heaven if she were to die.

Yikes! How I need to remember to become like a child myself, learning again to listen like a child and think like a child.

The Sable Bond

After spending the afternoon watching the girls play, laugh and bicker with each another with ash crosses on their foreheads, I was struck by the firm and eternal bond of this black symbol. It bonds these two babies together more firmly than their relationship as sisters, and it bonds them to their parents more strongly than the relationship between parent and child. For this bond is eternal. It is the bond of Christ and the bond of the members of His Mystical Body.

I have always been moved by chance meetings that occur on Ash Wednesday. Not that one should be out galavanting, but for some reason every year I have an errand or two to run on this day. Perhaps it could be considered poor planning on my part, but I rather think God might like to use these visible symbols as instruments in bonding His Church together.

Like the bond of glue, our ashes visibly unite us to other members of the Church, who give a nod or a smile when they see the mark on our foreheads. And we do the same when we see the stain on their foreheads. It might cause us to say a quick prayer for some of them in our minds, "Lord, grant her a fruitful Lent", or "Jesus, have mercy on him".

Like the bond of a magnet, the black cross attracts others. For some, when they see your mark they remember it is Ash Wednesday and resolve to go to church, while others might simply wonder what truth is behind the cross, what it means and Who you must love so immensely that you would stain your own face that way. Perhaps it is only a passing moment of wonder. Perhaps it turns into a lifetime of change. We won't know until we meet our Maker. But I like to think this sable cross is not only for the believers and not only for those in the state of God's grace. His Infinite Goodness wants all to know, love and serve him, and to grant everlasting happiness to as many souls as He can.

As I see the marked foreheads at the grocery store and the post office, I can't help but wonder which souls He is bonding to Himself this day for all eternity. Perhaps it's yours.

Lenten Meals

In honor of the beginning of Lent, I have posted a couple of simple meatless recipes over at The Virtual Kitchen. Let me know if you make one or both of them, and Bon Appetit (but not today)!

The First Step

As the season of Lent approaches, I am filled with excitement and hope as I always seem to be at the beginning of any sacrifice I intend for Our Lord. The start of Lent is a chance given to me, once again, to start anew with a clean tablet, to examine my life in it's current state, reflecting on the areas in which I have strayed from the Way - the Via Crucis, my one and only path to eternal rest.

Lent is a perfect time to pick ourselves up out of the ditch and wipe off the mud, to turn our course, and get back on that road so perfectly designed for us, not only because this season of the Church is by it's nature sacrificial, uniting us to Christ on His cross through our suffering, but also because it is during this time of year that we stop everything we are doing to recognize and meditate upon the first step toward salvation - the realization that we are condemned to death.

How perfect that at the beginning of these forty days the ashes on our foreheads will remind us of our fate; that the very first Station of the Cross is Jesus being condemned to death. It seems the Church is showing us just how to begin our path from Lent to Easter, and from this world to the next. And the road begins with death at the forefront of our minds.

Death is frightening. At least it is for those of us who fear God's wrath for our sins and what we deserve on account of them. But what a perfect and honest beginning it is. It is true, we could forge ahead and give up meat or dairy or coffee or sweets, take cold showers in the morning or kneel on jagged rocks when we pray, but what good will be merited if we haven't first reflected on the fact that we are going to die? It seems that recognition of death is the best way to discern how to spend Lent, what sacrifices to make, where to incorporate more prayer and in what areas we can increase in love. For we are most honest with ourselves at the hour of death, and thus reflecting on that end we will choose penances more fitting to what we truly need to get back on our course.

I love the beautiful story of Saint Charles Borromeo who was with his confreres one afternoon when they were approached by a man who asked what they would do if they suddenly discovered they were to die that very night. One brother responded that he would head straight for the chapel to pray the rosary. Another said he would go to Confession and make a firm Act of Contrition. Another replied that he would go to mass. Finally, Saint Charles, who was in the middle of playing a game of chess responded, "I would finish this game of chess, because I began it for the glory of God, and I will end it for the glory of God."

Saint Charles was already doing everything for God. He did not need to change his course. In these next days before Ash Wednesday, my hope is to examine how I would answer that same question asked of Saint Charles about his course in the face of death, and then to spend the rest of Lent striving to accept and follow the path that has been chosen for me. Unfortunately, this type of examination does not come easily to me as I am not one to ponder negative thoughts often. I am very good at Easter, but not so good at Lent. So may I ask for a "Hail Mary" from you, dear friends, that I will do better this year?


May we all have a beautiful season of Lent this year, and live as though it were our last.+++

Opinions Kindly Requested

I recently purchased headboards for the girls' beds upon finding a fantastic deal. At 80% off the original price, they were simply too good to pass up. Furthermore, I admired them when I first spotted them online three years ago at full price, but I never would have paid that.

Now that the headboards are home, I need your help. They are mismatched, which does not bother me in the least, but I will need to reupholster them. At the local fabric store I can get beautiful fabrics for five dollars a yard, but I need some ideas on fabric pattern and color ideas. What do you think - gingham, stripe, floral, solid? Pink, green, yellow, white?

Below are photographs of the headboards as well as a picture of the bed linens which will need to match the upholstery. Finally, should I leave the wood in it's natural cherry color or paint it white?

Prayers Needed

Please pray for two of my dearest friends, Heather and Jenney, who both suffered terrible miscarriages last week. Both women were expecting their fifth babies.+++

True Love

You know you have the real thing when.......


You are out on a date with your beloved for dessert and coffee, your phone rings, and it's your husband's co-worker calling from the office to talk business. When the caller realizes it is Valentine's Day and that he is interrupting your date, he profusely apologizes and says he is going to hang up, but you stop him and INSIST he speak to your husband, saying, "John, we've been married ten years. It's not all about the romance anymore. We're beyond that and you're not interrupting at all. Please, here's my husband." And you mean it. Not only do you mean it, but you are happy to hand the phone over, and as you watch your spouse across the table and listen to his conversation you smile, realizing you love him all the more for the hard work he does to provide for you and your children.

Happy Valentine's Day!

This is how they turned out. We had to adjust the plan, as the illuminated manuscript style didn't come out very well. Gianna's are the three on the left. (I held her hand to write the letters.)

Small Act Against Impatience

I once heard a beautiful story about one of the desert Fathers, an aged man nearing his death. A younger man who moved in to the home next to him was wrought terribly with the vice of covetousness, and would steal from the elderly man. The old man noticed this, and rather than judging or accusing him he thought to himself that the young man must be poor and in dire need of things, and instead of responding with anger and wrath, he responded in patience. And so he would work all the harder to provide things for the young man to take as he needed.

One day when the old man was at the hour of death in his bed, with his brothers surrounding him and the young man too, he called the young man over to his bedside. He said, "Let me have your hands." The young man gave him his hands and the old man kissed them. As he did this he said "I kiss the hands that have opened for me the gates of heaven." Then he passed away. It is said that it was his gentle, resolved patience and love that freed him.

Ever since I heard this story I've thought how beautiful it is, and then I decided to put it into practice. So throughout the day, sometimes six or seven times a day, I will kiss the hands of my daughters, saying aloud, "I kiss the hands that have opened for me the gates of heaven." And though I'm quite certain those gates are not open to me yet, this simple act when exercised floods my heart with great love for my girls. Every time. It is especially effective during moments of impatience, which are instantly washed away.

I admit I don't employ this practice every time I'm about to lose patience as I often forget or am simply wrapped up in the moment, but when I do, it works beautifully. I hope it might be as helpful to other mothers. +++

What is this, Humility Month??

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It seems for me it is.

Do you know what are you supposed to do when.....
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~~~......your family is taking a nice stroll along the sidewalk at ~~~the beach, where lots of people are pleasantly strolling along ~~~with you, and as you pass a rather sizable man and his ~~~companions, your eldest child yells out remarks, "Why is ~~~that man's belly so big?.......pause.......pause.......Does he ~~~have a BABY in his belly?!"


Me neither.

The Sweetness of Romance (In Anticipation of Valentine's Day)

We all remember the gloriously romantic moment found in the beloved, It's A Wonderful Life, when after having just married and sacrificed his long-anticipated honeymoon, George Bailey walks through the door to his new home - a rickety old house falling apart at every seam. Around the corner he finds his beautiful bride, Mary, preparing a loving meal for her new spouse, surrounded by humble adornments she secured making their poor, modest house into a home rich in the things that matter. This beautiful scene would foretell the great love and many blessings to come in their marriage.

This is romance. Love, which intrinsically involves great self-sacrifice is the foundation. The sweetness of the romantic is just that, the sweet icing on top of the cake. And when the two are combined in the sacrament of marriage there is found the love of Christ and the cross, and the sweetness and joy of the resurrection all in one. Love is the cake, with the substance of eggs, milk and flour to sustain, and the necessary teaspoon of the bitterness of baking powder. Romance is the icing, the sweet combination of sugar and butter which treats the palate to that taste of extra sweetness and joy, not overpowering the substance of the cake, but finishing it off with the spreading of delight, so that the whole is a final course to feed, nourish, enjoy and savor.
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Romance is lovely in marriage. But not the typical indulgent type found in our current culture which consistently tells us we should "have it all". Such favored gratification seems to me too much icing, so much that it can make one sick on account of it's excess. But isn't it wonderful to delight in the simplicity and loveliness of flowers, or a thoughtfully prepared picnic basket lunch arranged by a husband who loves his wife so much that he wants her to taste the sweetness of life on occasion, knowing she is not lacking in the daily substance of living her vocation - raising her children, cooking meals and cleaning house. And how lovely is the heart of a woman, like George Bailey's Mary, who plans and prepares a loving dinner for her husband, setting out her nice linens and candles and her best bottle of wine for a beautiful table she and her spouse will delight in together. This is the kind of romance that, when ordered rightly, makes a marriage a little sweeter and pleases it's Author. Simple, beautiful acts on the part of spouses which come from Love..........and end in Love.
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Isn't it marvelous that Divine Wisdom sees that we need refreshment in order to persevere. We need rest on Sundays for the arduous week ahead, sleep at night for patience and love in the day, moments of spiritual fervor for periods of dryness in prayer. And in God's Providence He gives spouses the sweetness of romance, the refreshment and rest we need to begin anew, to fight the good fight, and advance together in the Way of perfection.

Great Book and a Fun Art Project

I recently discovered this delightful book for the girls, and it is a true gem! Marguerite Makes A Book is the charming story of the daughter of aging Papa Jacques, the most renowned manuscript illuminator in Paris in the 1400's. An unexpected accident renders Papa unable to complete a manuscript commissioned by Lady Isabelle in time for the celebration of her name day. Time is running out and the book must be finished.

Young Marguerite sets out with her Papa into the streets of medieval Paris to secure the materials needed for the illuminations. She purchases delicate gold leaf, dried saffron flowers, madder root, vermilion, fresh parsley, pine pitch and lapis lazuli stone with which she mixes egg for her paints. A radiant yellow, two shades of red, a brilliant green and royal sapphire emerge from Marguerite's dedicated preparation, and the book takes you through the process informatively and beautifully. She spends the afternoon illuminating the manuscript with careful and delicate strokes, and the final result is a magnificent work of art that surprises not only Lady Isabelle, but even her Papa, whose face reveals a father's pride in his beloved daughter.

The sweet story is delightful in and of itself, but the addition of the simple maps and beautiful illustrations of medieval Paris along with a guide through the craftsmanship of illuminated manuscripts makes this book something to be savored. I think the book is meant for children eight or nine years old, but our three year old is enamored with it and asks me to read it to her at least twice a day.

I thought it would be fun to make a project of illuminated lettering and pictures with Gianna, and though I tried to make a simple border for her to color in, it was still too difficult for her, so I finished it. I used unsharpened colored pencils (couldn't find our pencil sharpener) and copied Fra Angelico's Annunciation for the picture. I am pleased with the way it turned out given my lack of materials. Perhaps I'll try my own hand at making paints out of various herbs for another illumination. Does anyone know where I can find some lapis lazuli stone?!


After having had so much fun with this project, I've decided to use this form of art for Valentine cards in a way that Gianna could participate. I have some pretty border stamps that she can use for the illuminations as well as letter stamps and some floral stickers. I will try to take some pictures of the work in progress.

Sweet Words

Madeleine has been feeling badly that I only post her sister's sweet remarks, so in all fairness........(It's only three words.)

Mea Culpa

I realized this morning that my responses to the Homemaking Meme may lend one to believe that my home is a paradigm of order and cleanliness. Oh, how sorry I am to have misled you! On the contrary, any of my friends and family (yes, dear spouse, you can chime in here!) can attest to my relaxed attitude towards homemaking and, well, parenting, safety, diet.......and everything else! I am as relaxed as a person could be! I admit I love ironing and tend to prefer some items out of sight, but at any time of day should a friend stop by for a visit she would see books, toys, food, cups, fingerprints, crumbs and much more of this sort of ornamentation around here.

Shall I take a photograph at this very moment?........uh.......hm........give me half an hour!

Homemaking Meme

I was tagged for this meme by the ever-inspiring Suzanne.

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The last rose. (See #25)

1. Aprons – Y/N?
No, but I would if I had this one (top left).

2. Baking – Favorite thing to bake:
Anything that makes the home smell good - cinnamon apple pies, these cookies, and any kind of cake. Yum!

3. Clothesline – Y/N?
No way. I love dryers.

4. Donuts – Have you ever made them?
Yes. But the owner of our local donut shop and his wife are so kind and generous, I can't bear not to patronize them.

5. Every day – One homemaking thing you do every day:
Dishes and making beds.

6. Freezer – Do you have a separate deep freeze?
No.

7. Garbage Disposal – Y/N?
Definitely. It gets well used.

8. Handbook – What is your favorite homemaking resource?
The lovely Real Learning Ladies and my own brain. I do what works best for me.

9. Ironing – Love it or hate it?
Love it! I iron my jeans, my girls' clothes, and on occasion I iron pillowcases. I love clothes and linens looking clean and crisp, and the satisfaction of accomplishment I feel at the board.

10. Junk drawer – Y/N? Where is it?
Yes, in the breakfast nook.

11. Kitchen: Design & Decorating?
Simple/minimalist. I had to learn to place things like tomatoes and herb jars out to make the kitchen look more homey. My first instinct is to put everything out of sight, though I realize more decorative items would add beauty. I don't have a dish rack for this reason, so if it won't fit in the dishwasher, it gets cleaned and put away immediately. Overall the color scheme is warm toned, but if I could redecorate I would do it this way.

12. Love: What is your favorite part of homemaking?
Being with my girls during the day, and my husband in the evening.

13. Mop - Y/N?
I vacuum dry crumbs (I don't own a broom) and clean on my hands and knees.

14. Nylons - Wash by hand or in the washing machine?
I stopped wearing those things as soon as I stopped working. :)

15. Oven - Do you use the window, or open the door to check?
Both.

16. Pizza - What do you put on yours?
Mozzerrella, tomatoes, basil and pancetta if I make it at home, but we mostly get take-out.

17. Quiet - What do you do during the day when you get a quiet moment?
Blog, needlepoint and listen to these tapes. (The sets on silence and on charity are wonderful.)

18. Recipe card box - Y/N?
Three ring binder handpainted by my mother.

19. Style of house
Spanish/Mediterranean

20. Tablecloths and napkins - Y/N?
Linen placemats and paper napkins, unless we're expecting guests, then linen napkins.

21. Under the kitchen sink - Organized or toxic wasteland?
Minimally organized. Not enough "stuff" to be a wasteland.

22. Vacuum - How many times per week?
Four to five.

23. Wash - How many loads of laundry do you do a week?
One to two a day.

24. X's - Do you keep a daily list of things to do and cross them off?
Sometimes. Wish I did it more.

25. Yard - Who does what?
My husband does the work - sweeping leaves, weeding, cleaning up outdoor toys. But there's not much yard to care for, and an automatic sprinkler system does the watering. Oh wait, I do prune the rosebushes once a year. I just did that!

26. Zzz's - What is your last homemaking task for the day before going to bed?
Tucking my girls in at 8:00. After that, the evening is for leisure. :)

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I tag the lovely Miss Margaret.

Candlemas and Humble Pie......

......go very well together, or so I discovered today when just after consecration, Madeleine sneaks out of the pew, and lightning fast as she is, runs across the church in front of the altar. I calmly attempt to catch up with her, when I hear loud, quick footsteps behind me, and turn to discover Gianna thought this was a game of chase. For everyone to see. Needless to say we were out the door in a flash and two little ones were mildly scolded (mildly because we were just outside the door of the chapel and I couldn't bear any more humiliation!).

Is this because I was pondering these virtues at today's mass? Someone once advised me never to pray for humility, because God bestows it upon us most successfully through humiliation. I'm seeing truth in this. I only wish I would have remembered that sage advice before mass!

Here are a few photographs from the solemnity:

Pondering holy things,

or rather, "Are they edible?"

Before the blessing of candles
Blessing of the candles Procession

"I can't believe my mom let me hold this!"

Happy Feast, everyone!

[I only learned about the Feast of Candlemas two years ago, when we attended a wonderful Polish parish rich in the great traditions of the Church. But it was this year, on account of two beautiful posts on the Presentation, that I realized we "presented" our Gabriel on this very feast day four years ago, just after midnight. How perfectly fitting are the works of our Father!]