childhood // bigfoot turned four

This little face turned four over the summer. My heart and mama-brain are still trying to wrap around the reality of this incredible little soul we are blessed and honored to call our son.

He came into the world with the sweetest temperament and it's been such a gift to be able to see his little light grow and change over these last years. Seeing the love that he is capable of is inspiring.

This little guy loves hard. 

He cares.

He is such a good brother. And even though they get into little tifts here and there, he really does cherish his younger sibling. A ton!

I love their love and brotherhood. It's one of the most beautiful things I've been privileged to see as their mother. The way they look for each other and miss each other when they're apart is the sweetest and as much as their rambunctiousness can get them hurt or in trouble on the regular, the fun, silliness, and laughter that always is being had is always worth it.

He also couldn't be more excited about our newest addition who will be here in January!

Is she here yet, mama? She's taking so long! Why?

(While at his homeschooling academy morning prayer) Pray for my baby sister in my mama's tummy.

He is sure that our newest little sweet is a sister. We'll see if this little desire of his comes to fruition come winter.

He loves the ocean. So much.

And music. 

Guitars, drums, and singing happen on the daily with this little guy. Whether he's in the bathroom making up random songs with his random thoughts or he's in the playroom trying to play along to whatever music we have playing, music fills him.

 As does dancing.

 And making up little stories for pretend or storytelling time.

 Oh! and, our pup! Boy does he adore our little pup! So so so so so so so so very much!

He adores his family, both immediate and extended. His favorite times are trips to grandparents houses, to the ocean, and trips made with dear friends.

His friends...he loves them beautifully too. He tells me so often.

Hey mama, you know so-and-so, I love them. They are my friends and I love them.

His daddy. Goodness does he love his daddy.

Where's daddy? Can we go see daddy? Will daddy come for lunch today? Mama, daddy works very hard. I love him.

This boy - he adores his father.

Adventure lights up his little heart and his beautiful brown eyes.

Playing hard is all he knows. It gets him in trouble often, but I also know it is a strength of his that will blossom in amazing ways come with age.

Sports are his happy place. All the sports. There isn't one that he hasn't taken interest in. There isn't one he hasn't claimed to someday play professionally.

In fact, we took him to a baseball game for his birthday.

Mama, this is the best day of my lifffeeeee EVER!

He knows professional players by name. He gets excited over everything during football games, baseball games, tennis matches, and more.

Did you see that play??!! He hit it out of the park! He did! He did it!!!!

He got a wooden bat and helmet that he can handle as if he were an 8 year old. It's pretty insane. His natural inclination and talent for these games are exciting only because we can see how much they excite his little heart.

Daddy, can we play with my wooden bat and ball tonight? Can we? I'll show you some solid hits! Remember that time I hit it so hard it went straight at you and far!? Remember, daddy? I can do it again!

Energy for days does this boy have. Outside twice a day sometimes three times doesn't come near exhausting him.

He has a grateful heart in a little four year old kinda way. 

{Out of no where and regularly} Mama, I love you. 

Hey Linus, I love you.

Daddy, let's play MouseTrap!? Can we?

Did you pray for baby?? Don't forget to pray for baby!

Togetherness and closeness is his love language. He's been a snuggler from the beginning and I love seeing how it has transformed into his love for togetherness, family, and friendship over the years.

Donut cakes are his thing and may continue to be for years to come. This mama is a fan because these donut cakes are something simple and delicious!

Me. He loves me something fierce. I see it in his eyes. I feel it in his snuggles, hugs, and kisses. And I hear it in his sweet little thoughts and words.

Mama, I love you.

Mama, do you need to rest. Are you okay?

Mama, I'm sorry for not listening. Can I tell you sorry and give you a kiss?

(During family prayer) I'm thankful for time with Mama today. 

He has a smile that lights you up. It's full of genuine goodness and can warm anyone's heart - even if he's being on the mischievous side.

He loves being loved. I us, the children of Our Lord, in this part of him. His little heart just looks for all the love to be had and obviously and outwardly just wants to soak it all up. It's a beautiful thing to see the goodness and simplicity of it.

This little guy is smart. I know all parent's think their kiddos are smart, so just toss me into that pool. I especially love discovering the tidbits of information his brain absorbs that I thought it surely had missed.

He's managed to learn at least three new poems this first year of homeschooling as well as memorize oodles of fun songs. It's lovely, beautiful, and good. It also makes me more excited for all the fun that is to come in this department.

His nickname on the blog has always been Bigfoot for good reason. This little-big guy has lived up to it in heart, mind, body, and soul these last four years. He has a heart so much bigger than I could have imagined, his little mind is always on the scurry to grow bigger so that it can take in as much knowledge as he can about this great big world that he is in, he somehow has managed to be the youngest in his homeschooling co-op but also one of the tallest, and his big and beautiful soul teaches me more and more how to be better and good for our little family and others. 

Despite, his stretching, energy for days, and new-found testing abilities that may drive me nut-so sometimes, this boy is good to the core and it's such a gift to be able to know, love, and serve him in our little family.

Happiest of (belated) birthdays, Bigfoot! You are very very very very very loved by your mama, daddy, brother, and soon to be new little sibling. Thank you for the gift of you, sweet love!

guest post // patron saint series: St. John the Beloved for boys

My heart grew for the saints while I was in college. I was soaking up as much as I could about this faith that I was raised in. I loved it! Reading, reading, and reading some more as well as joining Catholic groups and ministries through our vibrant parish.

During my freshman year, I joined the on-campus bible study. It was such a gift! We were reading the gospel of John and I fell in love. Not only did I fall in love with his quiet but beautiful spirit and stunning way with words and storytelling, but I fell in love even more with my Savior through the eyes of His Beloved Apostle.

Because of St. John's beautiful fidelity and love for Our Lord, my heart stirred. He pointed to Christ in such a way I could feel the warmth and love my Savior had for me in a new way. It was all kinds of fantastic and romantic!

...

Read the rest over at Gina's from Someday Saints and find out how this beloved saint made his way back into my heart and into our little family!

childhood // apple farm

We went to an Apple Orchard the other day and had a lovely time with our homeschool academy. The boys loved it and I loved that we didn't have to walk miles because this mama-body would not have been a fan!

The sweetness of these two brothers and the beauty God shares with us as I could snap it are all below!

{Happy}

{Pretty}

{Funny}

{Real}

Senses overwhelmed. Love grown with each step - both, within my little heart, and the heart of these brothers for their friends and each other. Sun-kissed. Breezes through our hair. All the smells. All the tastes. All the feels.

So much goodness!

"But ask the animals, and they will teach you;
the birds of the air, and they will tell you;
ask the plants of the earth, and they will teach you;
and the fish of the sea will declare to you.
Who among all these does not know
that the hand of the Lord has done this?
In his hand is the life of every living thing
and the breath of every human being."

- Job 12: 7-10

PHFR

recipe // meat sauce

I have been raving about my neighbor's meat sauce since the first time I had it! So good and full of veggies that my kids have no idea they are eating is a major win for me!

Since the first time they had us over for a delicious dinner, I immediately inquired about the magic sauce! This magic sauce is healthy and my kids just seemed to inhale it always asking for seconds. Seriously! These boys can not get enough of the magic meat sauce!

So! Because I like to share, and my beautiful neighbor straight from Italy said she would love for me to share this with y'all, here I am to clack it all out!

Meat Sauce

2-3 Carrots Sticks (Chopped)

2-3 Celery Sticks (Chopped)

1 Onion (Chopped)

4-6 Garlic Cloves (Chopped)

2-3 TBSP Olive Oil

Ground Pork

Ground Beef

Salt and Pepper to taste

2 TSP Italian Seasoning

1 Can of Crushed Tomato

1 Can of Tomato Sauce (if you prefer your sauce to be more sauce-y than meat-y)

1 Can of Beef Broth

Dash of Red Wine (If you have it!)

Parmesan Cheese (Now this portion I can't speak to since we don't do dairy, but if you do enjoy dairy in your home, add some!) 

Directions:

To start you will chop all the veggies so that they can be put into a food processor. Process away (This is how all the goodness gets enjoyed by your kiddos!). Meanwhile, add olive oil to your pot which should already be on Medium High heat. Once all the veggies have been processed, throw it all into your pot along with the ground beef and pork. Cook all foods together till the meat is cooked through. 

Once your meat is cooked through, add your crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, Italian Seasoning, dash of red wine, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Allow to simmer for as long as you like and can, stirring occasionally. The more the flavors sit together the more lovely the sauce will be!

Make your noodles (Hubby and I like spaghetti squash while the boys enjoy their whole wheat noodles.) and pour the magic meat sauce over to enjoy - nice and hot!

NOTE: The wonderful thing about this recipe is you can put as many or as few of each of the listed ingredients! It really all just melds so beautifully together no matter what! I've not had fresh garlic before and just added garlic powder to taste. Another time I only had ground turkey and ground beef - still yummy! Four carrots, one celery, small onion - perfect! No can of broth, only beef cubes and water - Yes! 

This stuff is divine and I seriously sometimes want to just eat it as a soup! It's great over bread, on any noodle, lasagna, etc etc etc and it freezes beautifully!

Let me know if you give it a go! Your kids will love it and you will love, not only the taste, but the fact that the kiddos are getting some good veggies in them! 

wiws // sillies, chucks, and a vintage bumpdate

We'll start with the boys this fresh and lovely Sunday for a round of What I Wore Sunday!

First off, chucks! I loved chucks when I was younger and love them now. Only, while the boys have a pair each, I have yet to purchase some for myself since I retired my last pair (A problem I've been trying to remedy for the last year! Whyyyyy have they gotten to be so expensive?!). 

Anywho, I know my time will come. I just heart them too much! But, till that time, the boys can happily sport theirs and look pretty stinkin' cute while doing it!

So much cuteness! It's been awhile since I got both of them smiling straight on, much less wearing the same stuff. We don't do that often. You know, the whole matchy thing. Obviously it does happen from time to time and well, it happened today.

These little guys are full of silly faces.

 And sweetness.

And did I mention, handsome-ness? I'm glad I can capture this goodness on my camera every once in awhile! It's these very faces that share a sweet little light with my heart that is just so warm and all things needed!

Now for some Precious P. All 26 weeks of him or her.

 What say you? Boy or girl?

 We'll find out come Precious P's birthday whether he is a he or she is a she.

 Meanwhile, I'll just be sittin' comfy in this cozy maternity steal.

Dress
Jacket
Shoes

Also sharing the first reading from Mass today because I kind of loved it.

Wisdom 7: 7-11
"I prayed, and prudence was given me;
I pleaded, and the spirit of wisdom came to me.
I preferred her to scepter and throne,
and deemed riches nothing in comparison with her,
nor did I liken any priceless gem to her;
because all gold, in view of her, is a little sand,
and before her, silver is to be accounted mire.
Beyond health and comeliness I loved her,
and I chose to have her rather than the light,
because the splendor of her never yields to sleep.
Yet all good things together came to me in her company,
and countless riches at her hands."

No thoughts to share. Just the reading. Lots of thoughts can be had from these words and I'm pretty sure I'm still sorting through my own!

Pray your Sunday is beautiful and good!

WIWS

phfr // in the morning

"...in the morning you will hear my voice;

in the morning I will plead before you and wait."

-Psalm 5:3

{Pretty}

{Happy}

Bigfoot. 4. Loves bacon, fruit, and new friends.

{Funny}

 Linus. 2. Loves eggs, bacon, and waffles, being a big boy, and fighting dragons.

{Real}

These Brothers. Love each other, breakfasts together, and celebrating feast days (or rather, baking/eating feast day desserts).

~ capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~

PHFR

mommyhood // with gentleness and time

With the hustle and bustle of new to-do's, these little guys filled to the brim with energy that I never knew fathomable, and feeling like we're always playing catch-up after a season filled with sickness and trial and deadlines, these last few months have f l o w n by!

We have moments throughout our day where I pause and wonder if I've done enough? Loved enough? Played enough? Read enough? Oh how the questions come!

But not just for that day and moment, but all the days and moments that have brought me to the space and time where I stop to wonder about how much I've done or not done.

Thinking back on these last months that have whirled on by, I can't help but wonder if these boys have been able to draw closer to the One who is love through me? Have I shown them? Have I shown them His warm and loving Face, gentle and kind Arms, and beautiful Heart? Have I shown them the very same Lord who has been so gracious and loving to me throughout my life? 

"So many have come to me that I might serve them, leaving me no time to think of myself. However, I assure you that I do feel deep down within me, God be praised."

-Saint Francis de Sales

Truth be told, I know these last months have swept by because so much of my thoughts and heart and actions have been for my little loves. Now, while St. Francis de Sales served a multitude, my little bits of services have been mostly only in our home. Little bit here, little bit there. Sometimes with crazy mama face and sometimes done with a twinkle in my eye and grace in my step.

"When you encounter difficulties and contradictions, do not try to break them, but bend them with gentleness and time."

-Saint Francis de Sales

It really is true. We have our tough days. Ones that have more yells and impatience than cuddles, play, and laughter. We also have our days. The ones you know that grace was just built upon grace and you were actually able to let go and live the love you have in your heart.

The same love that often struggles but with time and gentleness finds its way back to your natural rhythm. The natural rhythm that give you a peace that surpasses all understanding.

In those tough days, I start to think about how I could have been different. Done differently. Acted differently. Where could I have changed everything?

And then I remember Him. You know. The guy that means e v e r y t h i n g. Or, at least should mean everything! Right, heart? Soul? Head?!!

Did you read scripture today? Did you pray today? Did you mean it? Was it heartfelt? Were you present? Have you turned to Him today? No? Well then, nooo wonder, self!

It's easy to get caught up in the things I didn't do. But it's also easy for me to get caught up in all. the. things. I did do (Selfish, much? Yup, yup. Nice to meet ya!).

And then something prompts me. Holy Spirit...Christ, Himself...Divine Providence and all it's swift and breezy goodness envelop me back to where I need to be. That place of stillness and quiet. Where everything makes sense again. Back to the heart of it all. Back to focusing my efforts more from within so that I can strive - little by little, verse by verse, quiet and solitude by prayer and breathe - to firmly plant myself back in the One where all beauty, truth, and goodness stem from!

"And he said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a lonely place, and rest a while."

-Mark 6:31

Admittedly, my time isn't always spent well. I really do feel the need to check out. Not my best coping skill, but it's what happens from time to time. And when it happens, life and breaths and stress and crazy just seem that much more amplified when I check back in. 

But for today, in this moment, I'm choosing the stillness. The quiet. His Words and His Goodness to hold me. Even for just a few moments. Just so that I can be better. Better from within so that I can be better for those around me.

What do you do when you get caught up in the pace and energy of life that you find yourself continually checking out only to check back in with your never-to-be-seen-in-public crazy face?

Also, for a Better Read that helped redirect my heart today, head over to Jenny's!

Little Mission of Love

A L S O, on this special Feast of St. Therese I wanted to drop back in for a quick share!

Have you heard of Dolls from Heaven? They are a new company with a beautiful saint doll coming out this November. I imagine you can guess which saint I am talking about given my last post!

Yup, yup! St. Therese of Lisieux!

      

What an absolutely lovely gift this would be for a little girl! As much as I heart these dolls, given I have two boys, I am also excited about the line-up of saint dolls that are yet to come! St. Francis of Assisi! St. John Paul II! So not just dolls that inspire our daughters to enjoy a faith-filled young girl who gave her life to Christ, but also inspiring male saints who can encourage our boys!

If you head over to their site for a purchase, starting today (On the Feast of Sweet St. Therese, of course!) through to October 3rd, the St. Therese doll will be 25% off! Do take advantage if you are at all interested! These dolls are really lovely and I just love that they have St. Therese's Sunday Best outfit, her habit, a few other accessories such as a rosary, holy card, and mantle to add, as well as, a book that mirrors A Story of a Soul for young ones!

The mission and work of the Kicsek family really is beautiful so I'm just thankful I had an opportunity to share it with y'all! And, at the very least, let's keep them in our prayers. It is a lovely mission that helps orient our little playing ones towards all that is True, Beautiful, and Good.

via Word on Fire

Happy Feasting!

liturgical living // How Sweet is the Way of Love!

Alrighhhttt.... SO. Our Feast of the Archangels was good! It was a grace-filled day and good. The day after was rough. Hidden graces that I have no awareness of whatsoever may have been hanging around but I spied nada. 

It's funny how that can happen sometimes. Admittedly, I felt pretty defeated yesterday, while I was riding a fluffy cloud of blackberry cobbler with those wonderful Archangels all through just the night before!

But, it happens!

At the end of the day, I couldn't be more thankful for sweet St. Therese on the rougher of days. She brings simplicity back to my rambled mess of a brain and heart. She redirects me and tells me it's all going to be okay.

"...how sweet is the way of love! No doubt, we are liable to fall, to fail in constancy, but love knows how to draw profit from everything. It quickly consumes anything that may be displeasing to Jesus, leaving only a humble and profound peace at the bottom of our heart."

-St.Therese of Lisieux

See what she did there? Simple. The way of love! So beautiful and so simple. Reminding us that we are sure to fall and fail in constancy (I can assure you both of these things happened yesterday!). Reminding me that in light of the love I have in my heart for my family and for my Lord, profit can and will be drawn.

But she doesn't just stop there!

That bit on humility - pretty sure I was chewing on a large slice of humble cobbler last night and will continue to do so all day today too. Pretty sure! And all for good reason! All to keep perspective. All to redirect my heart to home and to begin again today.

Sweetly and simply moving forward - erring on the side of love. The place where He meets our efforts and makes them good again.

Oh, dear St. Therese. I heart you tons!

So, in light of her loveliness and ability to always give me needed perspective on a good or bad day I'll be making a sweet dessert to celebrate her feast later this evening. I'm thinking a simple and little one-layer white cake with some white frosting for her purity and goodness topped with strawberries. The plan is to try to form a rose with the yummy red fruit. I'll let you know how that turns out!

On that note, what will you be doing to celebrate this lovely saint? Remember, no small gesture is too small for this beautiful friend of ours!