Celebrating Michaelmas

 

Michael, prince of all the angels, While your legions fill the sky, 

All victorious over Satan, Lift your flaming sword on high; 

Shout to all the seas and heavens: Now the morning is begun; 

Now is rescued from the dragon She whose garment is the sun!

I tried adapting our Michaelmas Blackberry Cobbler recipe using Cassava Flour and Coconut Sugar... 
Didn't turn out wonderful but I enjoyed having a refined sugar-free treat!

St. Raphael, St. Michael and St. Gabriel from Naturally Catholic • Ostheimer Dragon

St. Michael Saints 'N Stitches from Waltzing Matilda

All decked out to celebrate his patron saint! 
St. Michael Socks • St. Michael T-Shirt from Catholic T-shirt Club • St. Michael Coffee Mug

Mighty champion of the woman, Mighty servant of her Lord, 

Come with all your myriad warriors, Come and save us with your sword; 

Enemies of God surround us: Share with us your burning love; 

Let the incense of our worship Rise before His throne above! 

The special little gift I purchased hasn't arrived yet...
but the younger kids were so excited when this
Special Edition Saints Around the World Box arrived! 

I was just (unsuccessfully) looking for our copy of The Great Battle for Heaven! Perfect timing.

St. Michael Statue, another My Holy Cards Holder, and all sorts of other goodies too!

The Great Battle for Heaven

The Children's Book of Angels

Gabriel, messenger to Mary, Raphael, healer, friend and guide, 

All you hosts of guardian angels Ever standing by our side, 

Virtues, Thrones and Dominations, Raise on high your joyful hymn, 

Principalities and Powers, Cherubim and Seraphim!

Blackberry Bubly and Izze Sparkling Blackberry Drinks

I had planned to make our Apple Chicken to serve with Angel Hair,
but changed my mind after seeing Ruby's Chicken Scampi... Yummmmmmmmm!

Our annual Michaelmas Cupcakes are always a favorite! 
Devil's Food Cupcakes with swords for "stabbing the Devil!" 

3 Archangels Saint Block Set from Almond Rod Toys • Playmobil Swords

Happy Michaelmas!

Michaelmas Daybook

St. Gabriel, St. Michael, and St. Raphael from Naturally Catholic

Outside my window...
It snowed yesterday, last night, and is snowing again today... I've been told that this is not normal for up here in Northern Idaho and I'm hoping we have some warmer days ahead. I'm not ready for winter yet! The picture below is the view from some of our back windows looking out at the horse pastures. Our property ends at the white fence but we've been admiring all the fall colors on our neighbor's beautiful trees!

I am thankful... 
My mom just had another MRI this past week and there has been no measurable growth on her acoustic neuroma tumor this past year which means she can continue to wait/watch and postpone brain surgery! Such wonderful news!! Deo Gratias!

I am thinking...
I can't believe it has been nearly a year since we signed papers (October 1st), took possession (October 8th) and moved in (October 31st) to this home... and yet so much has changed!

Celebrating the liturgical year...
Michaelmas, St. Jerome, St. Therese, Holy Guardian Angels, St. Francis of Assisi...
So many favorite feast days coming up this week!

From the kitchen...
our annual Michaelmas Cupcakes.

I am working...
on setting up my new laptop! My old laptop was starting to have problems, not to mention the hard drive had been completely full for the past year (I had to go through and sort/delete photos every time I wanted to try and upload more) so maybe now it will be a little easier to blog a little more often? We'll see!

I am creating...
a list of posts that I'd like to go back and add eventually, starting with some recent sacraments and past birthday parties. This blog has always been a family scrapbook of sorts and our kids love going back and looking through the archives.  Bud isn't happy that I've only blogged his first three (of seven) birthdays!

I am going...
out for a quick coffee date with Sean. We didn't get to stay long since the coffee shop was closing in "seven minutes" but it worked out for the best since the baby was cranky by the time we got home. The girls mentioned that it happens to be National Coffee Day!

 

I am hoping...
to continue recovering from this postpartum depression and start feeling like myself again. I've been making some progress and doing a little better than I was a couple weeks ago. Did you know that wearing your baby may help alleviate postpartum depression? I'm not sure if it does or not, but the baby sure loves being tucked into my Moby Wrap.

Pondering these words…
from St. Frances de Sales:

“The many troubles in your household will tend to your edification, if you strive to bear them all in gentleness, patience, and kindness. Keep this ever before you, and remember constantly that God's loving eyes are upon you amid all these little worries and vexations, watching whether you take them as He would desire. Offer up all such occasions to Him, and if sometimes you are put out, and give way to impatience, do not be discouraged, but make haste to regain your lost composure.”

I am praying...
for the soul of my mother-in-law, for Veronica Cools, for the Hatkes, and for so many others in need of prayer.

I am reading…
a chapter or two from Little House in the Big Woods to my little ones each night after we pray our family rosary. I had been neglecting reading aloud to them this past year and it's nice to be doing it again.

One of my favorite things...
Captain's Instagram stories, Ranger's late night phone calls home, and our family group texting string! We are all counting the days until they come home for a visit.

Around the house... and a little peek at my day... 
I keep spotting St. Michael!

Illuminated Ink Archangel Blank Book from last month's Saints Around the World Box

Just getting started... 

St. Michael Keepsake Box (one of Bud's recent First Holy Communion Gifts from friends!) 

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle; be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, cast into Hell, Satan and all the other evil spirits, who wander throughout the world, seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

Celebrating Michaelmas

The feast of Sts. Michael, Gabriel & Raphael, Archangels, traditionally known as Michaelmas, is celebrated each year on September 29th!

Short stories about “Saint Michael, the Archangel” and “Saint Gabriel, the Archangel” can be found in Saints for Boys (pictured above), a darling book for children by Alma Savage. Our whole family enjoys listening to The Day the Angels Fell, a dramatized audio production with exciting sound effects, which can be purchased and downloaded from Regina Martyrum Productions!

In addition to serving something made with blackberries, one of our favorite traditions each year (at least since 2008) is baking Devil's Food Cupcakes to celebrate a certain nameday in our home! This year our older girls baked and decorated the cupcakes. We always serve them with little swords to stab the cupcake and help St. Michael defeat the "devil”!

We love turning our leftover Michaelmas cupcakes into a lion for tomorrow's feast of St. Jerome!

St. Gabriel the Archangel • St. Michael the Archangel • St. Raphael the Archangel

"Make yourself familiar with the Angels, and behold them frequently in spirit. Without being seen, they are present with you." 

- St. Francis de Sales

Our tiny baby girl, who still fits her size 6 mth pajamas from last Christmas, loves playing with Shining Light Dolls! 

Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host – by the Divine Power of God – cast into hell, satan and all the evil spirits, who roam throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

Happy Michaelmas!

Silver Falls Park on Michaelmas

It was a long 4+ hour drive to get to where our teens were going to be confirmed. Since Confirmation was scheduled for 7pm, with Benediction following, we decided to turn the trip into a little vacation! It's not easy finding affordable accommodations for a family of ten... We ended up booking two cabins at a (fairly) nearby state park to stay the first night following confirmation! It sounded like a good idea at the time (both cabins cost just a small portion of what hotel rooms would have cost) but I didn't really consider that we'd have zero cell service while in the park, and that I'd be spending the night in a sleeping bag with the baby, and walking to the outdoor bathroom in the rain at night... The baby did great though and it was a fun and memorable "camping" trip for all of us!

A quick picture taken at the campground before driving to the church for Confirmation ❤️
(A little blurry... I balanced my camera on the cabin deck railing and set the timer!) 

Sean and I were in one cabin with all the girls and the boys had the other cabin. The older boys slept in, but the little guys were up early and ready to explore!

Blackberry IZZEs and Devils Food Cupcakes at the campground on Michaelmas...

We had a nameday to celebrate!

At one point Rose was sipping on her IZZE, while watching a bunny and chipmunks run in and out of the blackberry bushes, and said, "I LOVE THE NATURE!" 

After turning in the keys to the cabins, we headed over to the hiking trails to check out some of the waterfalls before driving further north to spend the weekend with friends before driving back home.

The waterfalls were gorgeous! However hiking 3 miles, carrying a 3 1/2 month old, after a difficult pregnancy/not being able to walk much at all, in the rain, was probably not the best idea... It was so worth it though and I some how made it back to the lodge for coffee, tea, and hot cocoa! 🙌🏻