{pretty, happy, funny, real}

~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life with Like Mother, Like Daughter. ~

{pretty}

...Raindrops on Roses... 

This beautiful St. Therese doll arrived in the mail from Dolls From Heaven. I'm planning to give her to our youngest daughter later this year for either her birthday or Christmas... If I can wait that long! 

{happy}

Now both of the older boys have been featured as "Athlete of the Week" in our local newspaper!

The last two months our schedule was packed full with golf tournaments and other prior commitments, but this past Wednesday we were finally able to attend the Kiwanis Club meeting and the boys were each presented with their "Student of the Month Award" for March and April.  

{funny}

I told our high schoolers that if they were somehow able to complete and get As on their "Persuasive Speeches" by the deadline their language arts tutor gave them (despite their schedule the previous week which included three long days at golf tournaments, including the Regional/Districts tournament, daily team practices, other schoolwork, getting braces off for one of them, hosting Father Boyle for dinner on Saturday, and serving at our every-other-month Extraordinary Form Latin Mass Sunday evening) they might be able to persuade us to take them to a movie they wanted to see... 

I think they even surprised themselves when they pulled it off! 

#speechbootcamp

We took them to see it last Sunday night, after celebrating a birthday. So much fun!

{real}

Our amazing tutor reading Focus on Elementary Geology to the three little ones. ♥
She is such a blessing! I don't know how I'd keep up without her help each Thursday.

Old Fashioned Party Games :: Ring Toss & Fabric Wrapped Hula Hoops

Sharing pictures from our Mother Daughter Tea Party last weekend reminded me that I still have quite a few birthdays and party games that I never had a chance to post here on the blog. The kids keep reminding me too. They love looking through the archives and scrolling through all their past birthday parties!

Today I'm going to finally finish up a post that has been in my draft folder for nearly two years. I made this ring toss & fabric wrapped hula hoops inspired by Two Shades of Pink for our oldest daughter's "Anne of Green Gables" birthday. It was easy to make and turned out so pretty. We still pull it out occasionally in the spring and summer.

Here is what I used: 

• Empty Soda Bottles, wash and dried
• Pink Spray Paint
• White Spray Paint
• Wooden Crate
• Small Embroidery Hoops
• Pretty Fabric
• Hot Glue Gun and Glue Sticks

Keeping it as quick and simple as possible, I spray painted the crate white and the bottles pink. Later that evening, the night before the birthday party, I wrapped both the inner and outer rings of the embroidery hoops with strips of pretty fabric, securing it with dabs of hot glue, to make six rings.  

Using longer/wider strips of fabric, I also wrapped the hula hoops, securing the fabric with hot glue. They turned out so pretty and were such a fun addition to the party! 

From the Archives: 

Our Little Flowers Girls' Club Mother Daughter Tea Party

Indoor Tea Party Games

Marshmallow Teacup Cookies

The Game of Graces

Little Flowers Girls' Club Tea Party Games

Celebrating Pentecost, the Birthday of the Church

"When the days of Pentecost were accomplished, they were all together in one place, and suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as a mighty wind coming, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them parted tongues as it were of fire, and it sat upon every one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they began to speak with divers tongues, according as the Holy Ghost gave them to speak." 

~ Acts of the Apostles 2:2-4

The Apostles' Creed Eighth Article: 'I believe in the Holy Ghost' from The Catechism in Pictures

 

Like Tongues of Fire! from The Picture Bible

Happy Birthday Catholic Church! 

A Mother Daughter Tea Party in May

It's been a few years since our last Mother-Daughter Tea Party and I was so excited when a couple of my friends decided to host another one this year for "all Catholic Homeschooling Mothers and Daughters!"  This was the first time I have gotten to take our youngest daughter and I think the first time I've gone with my own beautiful mom to a mother-daughter tea party. It was so much fun to be one of the mothers and one of the daughters! 

Our lovely hostess had the Little Flowers Bingo I created a number of years ago set up on a round table with a lazy susan in the middle. The girls took turns drawing a flower or a gem. 

Blessed Mother,

Give us a heart as beautiful, pure, and spotless as yours.

A heart like yours, so full of love and humility. 

May we be able to receive Jesus as the Bread of Life, 

to love Him as you loved Him, to serve Him as you served Him. 

Gracious & Loving God, 

Bless this food and those gathered at this table. 

Sustain us through good times and difficult trials.

Lead us always in Your love and keep us safe as we go forth 

from this banquet to love and to serve others in Your name. 

We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

First Course: 

Creamy Sweet Potato and Caramelized Vegetable Soup 

(My friend Trina usually makes this with potatoes and vegetable oil, but she substituted with sweet potatoes and coconut oil this year so I could have some. It was amazing!) 

Second Course: 

Grapes, Muffins, Scones with Cream and Lemon Curd 

Third Course: 

Chunky Tuna Wraps, Mandarin-Rye Tea Sandwiches, Cucumber Sandwiches

Fourth Course: 

Chocolate Strawberries, Lemon Cookies, Chocolate Cupcakes, 

and Raw Coconut Macaroons with "Chocolate" Ganache

  

I didn't have time to go shopping for a an outfit, and I don't have much to choose from at the moment, so my girls loaned me a hat and a pair of lace gloves! My mom borrowed a hat from my dad. :)  

It was such a beautiful and memorable day!