Our Little Feast for Saint Nicholas

We started celebrating Feast days more intentionally last year. It has been such a gift to see the beauty our Faith has to offer throughout the year. I love how we pay mind to the sorrow as well as the joy, His death and His resurrection. Times for prayer, preparation, and waiting, as well as celebration and feasting.

It's been a year that has shown me that in diving into what our Faith has to offer, I've been able to grow more and more easily share our Faith with the boys. The Liturgical year keeps me/us mindful. If I didn't have this little guide, I'm pretty sure I'd be all over the place more than I already am!

Here's a quick synopsis of the wonderful saint we celebrated and a little of what he's known for.

As Bishop of Myra, Nicholas lived the qualities that caused his fame and popularity to spread throughout the Christian world. His vigorous actions on behalf of his people and in defense of the Christian faith reveal a man who lived his convictions. Nicholas was not timid—he did what was necessary and was not easily intimidated by others' power and position. His concern for the welfare of his flock and his stand for orthodox belief earned him respect as a model for bishops and a defender of the faith. 

source: St. Nicholas Center

St. Nicholas was not only an amazing defender of the faith but also a very generous man. He lost his parents at a young age and in turn obtained a great wealth. A wealth he insisted to give to all who needed. The story goes that St. Nicholas found out about a poor man who's daughters were condemned to prostitution if he was not able to pay their way out. In hopes to remain anonymous, St. Nicholas would drop bags of money through their open window. Some say the dowries landed in their shoes. The dowries allowed the women to marry rather than go into prostitution and stories of St. Nicholas' kindness continued and spread.

Now onto what our day of feasting and celebrating looked like.

St. Nicholas Eve: Husband and I wrapped a couple books for the boys and set them by some new house shoes we got for them.

I have been working on these sweet little gifts for our boys this last week. I got the idea from the lovely Lisa over at Catholic Missionary Family and decided I couldn't wait to get started on our own little collection of wooden saint dolls. Little wooden figures that have real-life adventure stories of heroism for our Faith. So exciting!

I stayed up way later than I should have but I just love how they turned out and honestly can't wait to make more!

St. Nicholmas Morning: Per Mary over at Domestic Apologist, I've been slipping some leftover candy corn into the pocket of the correct date each day. They boys now check this calendar all. day. long. for more candy corn!

 This is what they woke up to. Two books, house shoes, and wooden saint dolls.

I did Patron Saints (St. Joseph the worker and St. John the Evangalist), St. Nicholas, and Holy Mary Mother of God, because Christmas. ;)

 They were pretty excited and have been enjoying them since. So much so, they tend to fight over them. *womp womp*

Either way, I love how we can play with these little saints meanwhile continue learning about Jesus and how much these wonderful men and women who have gone before us loved and fought for Him!

Love this shot of the boys in their little house shoes! Linus absolutely loves his new shoes whereas Bigfoot just isn't interested. They slow him down from cheetah speed and anything that does that apparently does not make it onto his feet. My whole plan of slowing the little one who loves to run his little heart out inside our home that is not running-friendly so far isn't working. The little man hasn't been wearing the very shoes that would help him chill out in the indoor running department. Of course!

 They liked their books. Or at least they will. We got a classic and a St. Nicholas book.

I will say these boys were in a mood that morning. Or rather, my oldest was in a mood that he shared with his younger brother. At the end of it all, there's only so much we can do. Right?

I'm just glad that, after all the fussiness and moodiness, he told me he had fun and loved his new little wooden saint dolls (especially St. Nicholas, the one they've been fighting over). That made it all better as well as Dwija's post sharing about how all the fuss over instilling family traditions and feasts while the kids were little has grown into a beautiful family rhythm as the kids have gotten older.

Take away: Keep on keeping on in love.

St. Nicholmas Breakfast: 

Menu

Bishop canes and gold coins pancakes

Bacon canes

St. Nicholmas' beard eggs

Bigfoot kept asking me what the eggs were called since the other two pieces of our meal had a name. I just threw out St. Nicholas eggs. After thinking about it, I suppose it can be representative of his big white beard? Maybe?

While Linus was just happy to have pancakes and mooo up (signing Please)! Translation: More Syrup, please!!

St. Nicholmas Dinner and Evening:
We met up with some good friends that we haven't seen in what feels like forever. You know you really miss a family when you get back in your car after eating dinner with them and sighing to your husband while saying, Gosh, I really missed them!

We feasted together with them and their three daughters, who the boys adore, at a nearby burger joint that is awesome! Then went to Santa's Village. A ton of decorated houses, trees, and paths all for the kiddos to explore mixed with a lot of photo ops that I did not take advantage of because it was cold.

I tell you what though, it. was. packed! The boys weren't too crazy about the crowds (especially my oldest) much less the costumed characters. 

 So we left after visiting three little houses to go to a nearby ice cream place. Ice cream for all to finish our feast day was perfect.

 Despite the fussy, the moods, and the crowds, we had such a good day! I loved being able to make the little wooden saint dolls for my boys and love that they've been enjoying them since. In fact, you can expect a whole little post on those little dolls that have been a sort of prayer for me during my evenings.

So thankful for Feast days, for saints who help us to know and love God more, and for my little family that I get to celebrate it all with. Also, so thankful that we got to share a feast day with friends. Feasting with friends and family is just so much more fun! 

What fun did you have on St. Nicholas' Feast day? What fun stories and/or special traditions do you and your family have?

Embrace the Ordinary: All Hallow's Eve Recap

My little monkeys went trick-or-treating for the first time ever! We all had so much fun! Aside from way too many houses not answering their door (Boo to y'all!) Bigfoot kept in good spirits ready to go knock on the next house that had their porch light on.

While out with the boys, I kept having these surreal moments. The ones that make me pinch myself to remind me that this is really happening. I really have two little boys trick-or-treating on Halloween. It's not I. I'm not the little one going door to door. It's my children that are. What??? When did this happen??!!

Three years ago, that's when! God gave me these sweet baby boys and we are making memories. We're making moments filled with whimsy and laughter and candy!

This is all so new to us. But, I can say that GeekMan and I are excited to further navigate our family traditions as the years press on. We want our boys to know the goodness of All Hallow's Eve. The beauty of All Saint's day. And the blessing of All Soul's day. This little tridduum is beauty and goodness is such a gift! Being able to share with them the true glory stories of the saints that have gone before them is awesome! The heroic stories of old. There were dragon slayers, lion tamers, angels, martyrs who were not afraid of death, the courageous, the beautiful, those that loved like Him, and so many talents that share such unique walks. The saint stories are ones to remember, they are bold, and they are true.

I tried to capture as many photos as I could with that beautiful setting sun light just before we went to the houses in the neighborhood. And, honestly, I'm glad I caught as many as I did because this is our first. That's a big deal. Our first little effort towards embracing this little extraordinary time in the liturgical year as a family. The boys loved it. We loved it. And, already are thinking of plans for next year.

Bigfoot was St. George's dragon while Linus was St. Pascual sporting a chef uniform, spatula, and angel in pocket. I think they liked their costumes. Or rather, I know Bigfoot loved it and Linus just wanted to open the lollipops.

Thankful we were able to do this together and like I said, am already looking forward to expanding on our little to-do's as a family next year.

 Costumes were made same-day, so I'll have to plan that one a little better next year too.

I wouldn't have changed any of how it all happened. We're young parents and still learning how to navigate all the fun we can have with these two littles. Day-by-day, month-by-month, and holiday-by-holiday, we are growing and learning to embrace this amazing role we have.

How was your Halloween? Costumes? No? Parties or night in? Did you trick-or-treat or were you moreso on the giving end (Haha, after getting no trick-or-treaters for the night, I realized (or rather, my husband helped me realize) that I left my Do-Not-Ring-Doorbell-or-Knock-Ever-because-you-will-wake-the-toddlers-from-their-nap-Sign on the door. Oops!! First-timer in our new home fail.)?

Linking-up with Gina for Embrace the Ordinary, Jen for quick-takes, and Aimee for Beauty Find Friday.

How Beautiful

We were able to attend Mass yesterday since all the craziness that surrounds my lower back happened. Being away from Our Lord in the gift of the Mass has been hard for my little soul, but thankfully and with His Grace, we were able to attend; and not only attend, but be blessed with eyes that were seeking to see and a heart that was yearning for His Beauty and Goodness.

Because our youngest was having a tough morning, and I can't carry him for now, my husband and him were back in the cry room for a large portion from the start. Eventually the little one fell asleep and they rejoined my three year old and I in the pews. During all that time that my oldest and I were in the pews, I have to say he did wonderfully. He was excited to be back at Mass, to see Fr. Tony from afar, snuggled up to me, read his church books, and listened. It was beautiful.

This Mass was beautiful for so many reasons. For starters, listening to the Gospel and seeing all the parts of Mass through the eyes of my little one were breathtaking. I saw how he saw the exchanges of gifts with the priest. I saw them bowing in reverence during the offering of gifts. I saw how in that gesture towards each other, they were recognizing the dignity and goodness that lives within each one of us, and thought: How beautiful. 

I listened to the choir and my eyes filled again and again: How beautiful.

During the consecration, kneeling to pray, seeing the beautiful community I was nestled in during a prayer that is so much bigger than me: How beautiful.

The vestments, the people, the souls, the prayers, the words, the scripture, the history, our faith: How beautiful.

All I kept doing was seeing everything with glimpses of wonder and awe. Wonder and awe of the beauty, the goodness, the servitude, the thanksgiving, the offerings, the processions, the Body of Christ, and more. Everything was overwhelmingly beautiful.

Since love grows within you, so beauty grows. For love is the beauty of the soul. 

-Saint Augustine

What made it more beautiful was the little set of eyes next to me. Seeing him soak it all up. Knowing that he gets to soak it up every time we attend. That filled my heart and soul in a way that could only be communicated with my mama-tears, again (Promise these aren't pregnancy hormones! You have to be preggo for that. I'll chalk it up to that amazing grace we often sing about.).

Suffering is a great grace; through suffering the soul becomes like the Savior; in suffering love becomes crystallized; the greater the suffering, the purer the love. 

-St. Faustina

And then, what tied everything in together for me in a way that had me praying the simple words of Thank you, Jesus. over and over again was when the choir sang the song How Beautiful. This song is one that brings me to tears every. single. time. Never have I not cried with this song. The truth of beauty, service, love, and suffering strike a chord in me every time. Reminding me that there is no beauty without suffering. No suffering lacking beauty. Because there is no suffering that is done without love. And love. Love is always beautiful. 

If you really want to love Jesus, first learn to suffer, because suffering teaches you to love. 

-St. Gemma Galgani

We have such a gift, not only in the Mass, but as mothers and women. Christ even tell us so when he encountered the Samaritan woman. He began by telling her, "If you knew the gift of God..." Gosh, do we have such a gift! He spoke this to her, a woman. A Samaritan woman he met, and in so doing, he demonstrated a beautiful exchange that calls us all to the living water. Not water that runs dry. This truth encourages me to not only more fully embrace the gift of Mass (And to be thankful for the graces that were shared to be more fully present this past weekend.) but also to be thankful for my vocation that calls me to suffering and to love. To service and beauty. My feminine and beautiful vocation of womanhood.

When we have been to Holy Communion, the balm of love envelops the soul as the flower envelops the bee. 

-Saint Jean Vianney

I had a beautiful time at Mass this past weekend. I'm thankful for this song that tied His Love and Suffering and the beautiful Sacrifice of the Mass together for my little heart. Now, with all the talk of the song, I feel it only right to leave you with a version I found on YouTube. I'll also write out the lyrics if you don't have time nor are in a place where you can play/listen to a song/video.

Prayers for all of us women and mothers! I know Mass this past weekend was beautiful for many. The scriptures were so rich and profound. What were your takeaways?

How Beautiful By Twila Paris

How beautiful the hands that served

The wine and the bread and the sons of the earth

How beautiful the feet that walked

The long dusty roads and the hill to the cross

How beautiful, how beautiful

How beautiful is the body of Christ

How beautiful the heart that bled

That took all my sin and bore it instead

How beautiful the tender eyes

That chose to forgive and never despise

How beautiful, how beautiful

How beautiful is the body of Christ

And as He laid down His life

We offer this sacrifice

That we will live just as he died

Willing to pay the price

Willing to pay the price

How beautiful the radiant bride

Who waits for her groom with His light in her eyes

How beautiful when humble hearts give

The fruit of pure lives so that others may live

How beautiful, how beautiful

How beautiful is the body of Christ

How beautiful the feet that bring

The sound of good news and the love of the King

How beautiful the hands that serve

The wine and the bread and the sons of the earth

How beautiful, how beautiful

How beautiful is the body of Christ

Lent: My Little Fat Tuesday

"Lent stimulates us to let the Word of God penetrate our life and in this way to know the fundamental truth: who we are, where we come from, where we must go, what path we must take in life..." 

- Pope Benedict XVI

The Lenten season has arrived. I have intentions. I have offerings. I have desires for this season. I want to be blessed and to bless. Fat Tuesday crept up on me (per usual) but my sweet husband came home with this little treat to let me have a little bit of an indulgence. My sweet tooth thanks him.

This season I'm going to do things a little different. Words are going to be me my focus and I pray that they encourage in me all that my soul is thirsting for.

Joy. Somewhere between marriage and having babies I feel that I've lost the sense of joy in my little day-to-day happenings. Or, if I am in a joyful spirit it can go from laughs and fun to a lost temper real quick. I really want to work on that. I want to keep joy in our home not only for myself but also for my boys and husband.

Diligence. I know I desire it, but I struggle with it. It's very easy for me to get caught up in my tendency to feel frazzled if things don't go according to the little plans I have in my head. I want to try to overcome that and be more diligent in my daily duties as a wife, mother, and CEO of our little home. I want to be diligent in not only making our home a home, but also in readings and meeting with my Lord. I want to be diligent in making time for him daily. Even if it's reading just one verse from scripture so that I can grow to know Him more. And, I pray that I am able to share this daily with my husband and the boys.

Reflection. I want to reflect. I want to reflect more, not only on the Cross and His Word, but also on myself in relation to both. I want to spend more time seeking out the areas that I need to prune, and prayerfully be able to prune from the root. I also want to spend more time reflecting on all the things that are present in my life that are cause for Joy and Thanksgiving to help prepare myself for His Resurrection.

Capture. I have a camera. I have a beautiful family that constantly provides for beautiful moments. I have a blog and am part of an amazing blogging community of women who strive to live a life for Him. I want to capture the beauty of my day-to-day more intentionally and I'd like to try and share that here on the blog.

So, there you have it. I'm off to enjoy my sweet wine and cupcake.

Thanks for stopping by!

7QT: The skies above are blue...

I'm back from my blogging hiatus and it feels so good to be typing! I've honestly had so much to blog about just haven't had the time, energy, or brain power to focus. Not to mention, lots of places to start had me overwhelmed a bit. And there was the flu that knocked us all on our rear for a good two weeks. Oh, and the crazy-mad teether that felt the need to party hard all night every night for longer than my sleep-deprived brain would like to recall. Haha. Moving on now! Here I am and I'm excited!

At last, another beautiful day in a year to remember has come along. It's our anniversary! Four years ago yesterday, we said, I do. Our love was bound and we became one. We became one. I knew you. You knew me. We loved and loved and loved until our hearts burst that day. The joy I felt on the day that we said I do was so beautiful. I was radiating. I was glowing. All was beautiful and perfect, joyful and blessed.

Welcome to my little memory lane of a post about that very fine day that brought a joy in me that I had never known before.

--- 1 ---

I loved our details. They were sweet. Simple. And filled with love.

The detail in the cake matched the lace on my dress. Made me smile.

My GeekMan doing what he does best and me doing what I love to do but don't do enough of - read.

These were just a few of the little things that made the day just a little sweeter.

--- 2 ---

I loved that I got to wear my mother's wedding dress. The same dress that my grandma made for her. And love even more that this same grandma did the alterations for it to fit me. A gift that I will always treasure more than I can say.

Love that we took pictures down at the grove. The only thing I love more than avocados are grapefruit! We went to where grapefruits abound. And it was beautiful.

--- 3 ---

I loved getting married in the parish I grew up in. So many fruits happened in this holy place for me. Being able to marry before God, family, and friends is more than this woman could ask for.

--- 4 ---

I loved being with him. He made everything perfect. He made everything beautiful. He who God decided to share with me in a very beautiful, mysterious, and glorious way.

--- 5 ---

The moments. I loved the moments.

Right after we walked down the aisle into the dressing room. We hugged it all in. I didn't want to let go of him. I was so happy.

Our first dance as husband and wife. On the bridge. Away from it all. Just us. Dancing. Enjoying. Loving.

My grandpa had passed away the year prior to our wedding. You can imagine why having his brother there meant more to my heart than any will ever know. I was heartbroken knowing my grandpa wouldn't be there on my wedding day. It was sweet how God had them be the couple who had been married the longest. We had special moments of wisdom with him and his wife. Such a gift.

--- 6 ---

Outdoor January wedding in South Texas. It was perfect. A sweet day with a light breeze. It wasn't too hot and it wasn't too cold. It was perfect. Just how I had prayed it would be.

Oh and the Dancing!!! Dancing is fun. But, dancing outside - so much fun! We had a blast! And, I loved having all my Ags there! The Aggie War Hymn was incredibly special that night.

Ha! This awkward moment brought to you by us. It took him FOREVER to get that thing off! Awkward... Haha. As awkward as it was, I was laughing and dancing the whole time.

Did I mention I love dancing?

Well I do.

Especially with this man!

--- 7 ---

The celebration!!!

And, the fact that the celebration didn't end that night. It's been going strong for four years. We've even managed to add two little ones that can party harder than any college student I've ever known. These boys take "party all night long" to a whole new level, for sure!

But, I love them for it. I love that they joined our party. I love that they are a beautiful result of the very same party that started four years ago. And, I most especially love the love and our God that keep the celebration of our life always beautiful.

Thanks for stopping by!

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!