Seven Quick Easter Takes

I've already posted some Easter pictures in my Daybook post, my {pretty, happy, funny, real} post, and some from Our Annual Easter Sunday Egg Hunt, but I still have some more to share as I slowly find time to sort through all the pictures from last weekend!  I still need to go through the pictures from the children with their Easter Baskets, so I'll save those for last.  In the meantime here are a "7 Quick Takes" from Easter Sunday!

— 1 —

I ran out of time to create a new Paschal Candle this year, so I peeled off last year's "2" and reshaped it into a "3"...  It wasn't anywhere near perfect, but it worked, and still looked pretty.  I love decorating beeswax! 

— 2 —

Our desserts were kept very simple this year (i.e. we skipped our usual Lamb and Cross Shaped Cakes) but they still looked pretty!  The girls really enjoyed decorating our oval Easter Egg cakes - this year they were Italian Cream!  Yummm!!  They also made their usual Bird's Nest Cookies. 

— 3 —

I made Cherry Cheese and Golden Peach Coffee Cakes...

... in addition to the Paska and Pascha.  

I also remembered to pull out our beautiful Pysanky Basket Liner.

— 4 —

Remind me to ask my sister-in-law to bring something other than "fruit" to our next get-together!  Apparently she thinks that it is all that my mom and I trust her with... Sorry Meagan!  You just do such a beautiful job with the fruit...  How about next time you bring the Lamb cake?! ;) 

Everyone loved my mom's potato salad when I was growing up - it was what she was always asked to bring - and I had been missing it lately.   I guess my kids had never tried it before and Captain has already asked if he can have "Grandma's Potato Salad" on his birthday.  I'll have to see what I can do about that! 

— 5 —

Of course our picky little Snuggles didn't care for either of the salads and stuck with Golden Easter Punch and dinner rolls...

— 6 —

  This Easter JoAnn went to Texas to spend Easter with Mary.  Jennifer, Sean, Jamie and her family, Paul, and all of my husband's family all live out of state as well.  My little brother Kevin was away competing in a Golf Tournament in Arizona.  So that just left my mom and dad, sister Julianna, and brothers David, Scott, and Brian and his family here for Easter.  My Aunt Bridget and Uncle Shawn also joined us!  It was still nice, though I am looking forward to the year when all my siblings can be together again for Christmas, Thanksgiving, or Easter... It's been so long!

— 7 —

The kids have been having so much fun looking through all the new books they found in their baskets!   I meant to post the pictures yesterday, of them looking through their baskets, but I got a little distracted.  (I will soon!) Instead I spent most of my own free time planning out our curriculum for next year, making lists of the books we still need, and taking advantage of Adoremus Books Easter Sale to order a few of those books!  (However, even I have found time to sneak away and start reading one of the books from my basket!) 

For additional Quick Takes visit Conversion Diary.
Thanks, Jennifer, for hosting... Praying for you!!! 

7 Quick Takes :: Habemus Papam!

— 1 —

What an exciting week!  We've been glued to the live feeds online all week (which has left very little time for blogging or answering emails, sorry!) watching for that white smoke, the announcement and first blessing Urbi et Orbi from our new Pope Francis, the Holy Father's first Papal Mass, and more!   I have loved seeing my children's interest and excitement as well!  All that work with the Lap book and Unit Study has paid off, and I have even had my older boys explaining a few things to me this past week!

Watching the white smoke and waiting to hear who has been chosen! 

I actually had an appointment at 11:40 on Wednesday, here in our little town, to pick up some paperwork... I was torn on whether to reschedule or not, having seen the white smoke, and knowing the Pope would be announced soon.  It was the quickest trip to town EVER!  I arrived back home with plenty of time to spare. Whew!

— 2 —

The big kids all recognized the new pope immediately as "Microphone Man" from their Guess Who?! Cardinal game!  (Yes, all the cardinals were getting nicknames!)  However, it took us a few minutes to realize that this was the cardinal that Snuggles had adopted and has been praying for each day! He was beyond excited and hasn't stopped talking about it yet! 

— 3 —

The girls wanted to make sure their Daddy heard the news the moment he got home from work (though  he had been able to watch the live feed at work) and wrote "We have a new Pope!" up the driveway!  

— 4 —

As I posted on the Catholic Cuisine Facebook Page following the announcement and learning a little more about Pope Francis, "I told my children they get to "cook their own meals" today, just like our new Pope!"  They loved the idea!  I ran to the store to purchase some Argentina Wine and we modified our dinner plans so the kids could make some "Argentina/Italian" pizza!

— 5 —

I have made a few more additional Mini-Book options for the Papal Lap Book!  

For those that have asked, I did end up creating Fill-in-the-blank options for the "What Happens When a Pope Dies?" and "Selecting A New Pope."   By the way, if anyone runs across any typos, do let me know so I can correct them and upload a revised document.  I've made a few corrections already! :) 

I also added a couple additional mini books including the "Adopt-A-Cardinal" page, a "Symbols and Garments" Layer Book, "Important Roles During the Conclave" Flap Book, "Habemus Papam Franciscum" Tab Book, and "Who is Pope Francis?" Octagon Accordion Book.    

If you'd like to add these to the current Lap Book, but don't have any room left, you can easily add another white card stock flap to the bottom of the center page, just like you did at the top. We haven't assembled our Lap Books yet, but I think my older children are going to need a little more to be able to include everything!

— 6 —

Snuggles was very happy to finally get to color a picture of "his" Pope!  

I heard him say to Rascal yesterday that "I prayed REALLY GOOD for my Pope!" 

I don't think Snuggles will ever forget this Papal Election, and praying for his Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio. 

He will be adding this page to his Papal Lap Book.  

— 7 —

Have you entered my giveaway for Brother Hubert Giveaway yet?   

You have until tomorrow night!  I will announce the winner on Sunday! 

For additional Quick Takes visit Conversion Diary. Thanks, Jennifer, for hosting! 

Seven Quick Takes

I promise that this will be my last post about our trip to Arizona.  :-) 

~ 1 ~ 

One day, the girls and I were able to go to the Church and help the Catholic Daughters prepare for a take-out dinner fundraiser. 

 The girls did a great job bagging up all the rolls!

The girls with Grandma

~ 2 ~

The boys enjoyed spending time visiting with Grandpa in his garden...

~ 3 ~

...and Snuggles loved pulling the little toys all over the yard!

~ 4 ~

I always love seeing all the old pictures of Hubby, when we visit his parents.

~ 5 ~

We took these pictures one day, on our way out to a local lake.   Apparently there had just been a Border Patrol shooting... 

~ 6 ~

Oh how I wish we lived closer and could visit more often! 

~ 7 ~

On our last day, the girls and I took their Grandma shopping and then she treated us to dinner.  It was such a fun day!

I just love this picture of Chiquita with her Grandmother/Godmother!

Seven Quick Takes

 ~ 1 ~

After a whole week of not blogging, I hardly know where to begin!   I didn't "plan" on taking a break, but our whole family came down with the flu (fevers, body aches, sore throats, etc) on New Year's Day, and blogging has been one of the last things on my mind.   Yesterday was my first day of not having a fever and I am finally starting to feel a bit better.   Now, if I could just get rid of this lingering cough!    Thank you to all of you that emailed to check on us and offer prayers for our family, after noticing that I've been "missing."  :-)  

~ 2 ~

Oreganol Oil may taste awful, but the stuff really works.  Usually when I get sick like this, it always turns into Bronchitis or Pneumonia,  but so far not this time.    We've also been eating lots of Chicken Soup, taking plenty of Vitamin C and our friend Marc's "Horrible Super Tonic," drinking tea and finally using up some of those Honey Sticks!

~ 3 ~ 

There is nothing like the flu to jump start that New Year resolution to lose some weight...  Seven pounds in seven days, is not bad!  Now if I can just keep it off and lose another 10-20.  ;) 

~ 4 ~ 

Yesterday we celebrated the feast of Epiphany.  It comparison to the last couple years, it was a very simple celebration... Our Three Wise Men finally arrived at the manger, we read a couple of our favorite books for Epiphany, had breakfast (belgian waffles, orange juice, and cinnamon rolls) for dinner, and then the children exchanged the gifts they had chosen and wrapped for each other.

~ 5 ~

Sometime during the couple days when we were all feverish (except for Rose),  Chiquita decided to "trim" her hair.   Apparently it was "sticky."    When I first noticed it, I wasn't sure if I was seeing correctly or not.  lol!  I am taking her in to my hairdresser later this afternoon to see what we can do.  Layers, maybe?  I was really loving her hair long, but I suppose we could cut it short again too.

~ 6 ~ 

Over the last few days, I pulled out my copy of Managers of Their Homes and have been working on creating a new schedule, incorporating this year's school plans and some of the ideas in Large Family Logistics.  I'm hoping to be able to finish it up over the weekend and start using it this coming Monday.   I am sure I will need to make more modifications as I see what works and what doesn't, but I am looking forward to getting back into a routine, focusing on learning, and working on developing some good habits after such a busy fall.  

~ 7 ~ 

This picture is for Charlotte, who has recently inspired a love of Matryoshka dolls in our home!   I just love my new measuring cups, and I recently ordered a set of these adorable note cards.   Anyhow, my mom had gotten Rose some pajamas for her birthday, but since they were a size too small (carter's sizing can be confusing in that a 12M size is really for babies up to 12 months, not turning one) I went to the store to exchange them.   They didn't have the same style my mom had chosen, but when I saw this one, I knew I had to get it.   :)  Isn't it darling?!   It's a little too big (they only had one size 2 left in this pattern), but that's okay, it'll fit better soon enough! 

There,  I managed to make it through a whole post!  I hope this new year is off to a wonderful start for you all, and hopefully I will be back to post again soon.   God bless!  


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