Lent begins...

Past lenten resources can be found here and here.

A Blessed Triduum to you all!

Come, O faithful, let us enjoy the master's hospitality,

and partake at the table of immortal life in the upper room.

See you at Easter!
 

Easter Plans

Getting our plans cemented in my mind and reposting this veggie dyed egg post for those searching for it...

1. Confession on Wednesday! How awesome is this from Bishop Farrell?

I have asked every parish in the Diocese of Dallas to have their doors open on Wednesday, April 4^th, from 6:30-9:00 p.m. to welcome anyone seeking the Sacrament of Reconciliation.   Whether it is someone who has been away from the Church for awhile or a Catholic who attends Mass regularly but has not gone to confession in some time, we invite them to take advantage of this special night. This initiative, called The Light is On For You, originated in the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C. during the time that I served as auxiliary bishop there, so I saw first-hand how successful it was and how meaningful it could be in the lives of the faithful.  Because of that, I asked our priests and ministry leaders to make this evening available here in our diocese.  

A light in the window is an ancient sign of welcome. Jesus will be waiting for you.  No reservations are needed.

The Light is on for you

2. Holy Thursday Biblically inspired meal (lamb roast, homemade pita bread, salad, fruit salsa w/ cinnamon chips, feta cheese)
3. Good Friday Stations and displaying our cross
4. Holy Saturday egg dying (leave them overnight in the fridge and reveal them on Easter morning!)
5. Easter Sunday!: Holy Mass followed by a hunt for the ALLE----- the word we can't say right now and Easter baskets, Resurrection Rolls or Easter Nest Bread (haven't decided yet), dinner of ham, potato salad, rolls, and steamed green beans with Icebox Eclair for the kids (ignore the low fat stuff) and Pina Colada Pound Cake for the grownups!




~from the archives~

This year's eggs, starting with the deep maroon one in the 12 o'clock position and moving clockwise are: red onion skins, sweet onion skins (which I thought were yellow onions, but aren't actually), red cabbage with baking soda, red boiler onions, red cabbage (no baking soda), wrapped in red cabbage leaves while soaking in red cabbage juice, boiled in beet juice, and wrapped in boiled red cabbage leaves without juice (in the middle).

We have been dying eggs naturally for a few years now all the while still having some fun with food coloring here and there. I'm not THAT green! This year, we kept our dyes simple, but experimented a little with technique. While I am by no means a natural dyed eggspert, I have learned a few things here and there that I can share.

These eggs were cold dyed only. I boiled the eggs in plain water and let them cool. Then I reserved extra liquid from the dye baths and let that cool. When both were completely cool, I placed a pre-boiled white egg in the dye baths and put them in the fridge overnight.

The first thing you must be committed to accepting, if you are going to try to go au naturale with your eggs... nothing is guaranteed. Just like in nature, uniformity and evenness are very hard to find. Most things are random and a little odd.

Everyone loved the markings on this egg. That is not a glare in the center, but rather a white spot that formed where the egg sat on the bottom of the cup, I suspect. I'm not sure what created the streaks of color surrounding the white spot, but I like it!

The other thing you have to embrace is that this is a long process. No instant gratification here! Get the kids to write out their predictions, leave the eggs in their dye baths overnight and see how well everyone predicted in the morning. As I have said before, we view it as part Easter fun, part science experiment.

This one had the best marble effect. It was cold dyed in sweet onion skin juice overnight.

Also, if you want a lot of onion skins, but not a lot of onions, ask the produce manager if you can clean out the onion trays. They just might be happy to oblige! You get all the onion skins you want, they get some free labor. Win win!

If you have questions on specific instructions, please feel free to ask! You can find previous years' pictures and ponderings in these posts below:

2009 ~ Eggs. Naturally! and Final Thoughts on Eggs

2008 ~ Eggsellent Creativitea

2007 ~ Egg-cellent Fun!

Look what came in the mail last week!

Catholicism!

 A giveaway prize from the awesome Jessica at this blog. 

 Signed by THE Fr. Barron! He's a rock star!

It was supposed to be signed by her husband too who worked on the project but was too modest so...

 I'm leaving this post-it right here for all to see! We were all at UD together but didn't run in the same circles. It's been such a pleasure to get to know them better via this crazy online world.

I told Jessica that my husband has a very random collection of signed books and DVD's. I'll try to position these closer to the Barzun end of the shelf and not the Pastis.

I know what we'll be watching these last few weeks of Lent!

Thank you Jessica and modest hubby!

 

Lenten Traditions

Many years of Lenten traditions can be found in this post from last year.

This year... simple.

A crown of thorns to adorn our table and remind us of the weight we add to his heavy crown with our sins.

Counting our steps through the desert of this season. Here is another one from Smart Martha that might appeal to you more.

Mardi Gras masks to remind us to seek the true beauty of virtue that the mask of vice hides. Maybe some edible cookie masks too for Tuesday or maybe not. Depends on whether I can put this sweet little Cupcake down long enough to make some cookie dough. (More teeth!)

This book for The Professor. My kids usually choose religious reading during Lent, but he asked for some specifically Lenten spiritual meditations this year. 

Jesus Meets His Mother

From the archives 2007...

... According to Father, this visiting priest spoke about the fourth station, Jesus Meets His Mother, with such tenderness and insight. I think, just about every mother would say that this station is the one they feel the most. It is the one point in the movie, The Passion, that is sure to have me bawling just knowing it is coming up. It is the station that brought about the "reversion" of a dear friend of mine who was struggling with the Church's teaching on Mary. Why do we love her so much? As she discovered on the island of Capri one Holy Week... because He loved her so much!

But this priest asked a question that I had never heard before, maybe you have... what was Mary thinking when she met Jesus? As a mom, we can imagine some of the pain she was going through. We know for a fact it was as though a sword was piercing her own heart. But what was she thinking? Father posited an answer.


She said a prayer. Please, help Him.


She said this quiet prayer. And it was answered. How do we know? Because the next station is Simon Helps Jesus Carry His Cross. Can't you just hear Mary begging God for this? Please help Him! She knew who He was and what He had to do, but she was still His mother and He was her son. Please, help Him!

And then the next station, Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus. As a mom, it can be heart breaking to see your child's face altered due to a simple accident, even a childhood mishap that will naturally be corrected over time. This was her son's precious face, all covered with blood and sweat and dirt. Can't you hear the Blessed Mother crying inside... Let me see His beautiful face again!

This was the first time I had ever heard this interpretation and while I know that we can't know for sure, it really made sense to me. I have always been perplexed by the fifth station. Why did he need help? Who was Simon of Cyrene? Why was he chosen and what are we supposed to learn from this station? Yes, I've read the different interpretations and I think there are many scholarly people with plenty to say about the significance and importance of this station and the next, but I still. didn't. get it.

And St. Veronica? How did she make it through the crowds? Why would the guards have allowed this kindness after they had already inflicted so much pain? Were they distracted? Why?

This answer makes sense. All questions fade away.  

Please, help him.

God couldn't refuse the prayer of the Blessed Mother. He knows the tortures of a mother's heart and he hears her prayers.

Preparing

So much to do, so little time. Plans hampered even further by feverish child lying limp on the couch. No errands. No quick trips. Just still. This is the Holy Week God has planned for us. Yours might be different. For those feeling up to it, here is a glimpse into our celebrations of the past with lots of opportunity for togetherness. 

All inspiration comes from the Divine Inspirer. Thanks be to Him for the gift of sharing.

~ Triduum ~

Clothespin Apostles 2009

A Happy and Holy Thursday 2007

Holy Week Traditions 2008

Holy Thursday Menu Traditions 2009  

Good Friday 2008

Good Friday Reflections 2007

While PAAS certainly has it's place in our house, natural dyed eggs are our favorite. I think we might have exhausted just about every known vegetable and every known pun. You can choose your favorites to try if you'd like:

 Veggie Eggs-travaganza 2010

Eggs. Naturally! and Final Thoughts on Eggs 2009

Eggsellent Creativitea 2008

Egg-cellent Fun! 2007

Don't for the entire Easter Season, don't forget the Good Shepherd Garden Parties Jessica and I put together last year. Jessica has kindly provided some updated plans at all the old links. You can still order a calendar via Amazon (whoops, those are gone now), Aquinas and More or LTP (fyi: they used to charge a lot for shipping). If you can't get a hold of one, you can use the printables I made last year.

A blessed Holy Week to you all!

Laetare Sundaes

 In looking at the Google logo for today, we learned that it was the 119th anniversary of the Ice Cream Sundae. Armed with this knowledge and a desire to "Rejoice!" as the entrance antiphon proclaimed, we decided to make some Laetare Sundaes. The best part is, you can make them however you want!
We opted to honor the rose colored vestments Father wore this morning and chose Blue Bell Strawberry ice cream. I don't care what flavor you choose, but it must be Blue Bell! It is the best ice cream in the country. Don't argue, just believe! : )
Now, technically speaking, and this is very serious... it's not a sundae if it doesn't have toppings! It's just ice cream in a bowl. Check the dictionary! We chose some strawberry and hot fudge toppings along with whipped cream, nuts and don't forget the cherry on top, unless you don't like cherries and choose a strawberry instead!

Happy sundaes! Happy Sunday!!!

Crown of Thorns

A sweet reader asked for more information about our crown of thorns pictured in the post below. I have had this thing for ages, it seems. I remember making it when we were living in our first house and that was at least 8 1/2 years ago.

Here is how to make one, if you are so inclined. You will need a grapevine wreath like this one (mine has a 12 inch diameter), a bottle of black liquid RIT dye (don't bother with the mess of the powdered stuff) and a box of wooden toothpicks. I used the rough, squared shaped toothpicks, not the smooth round ones. I'm not sure if it makes a difference for dyeing them, but I like the look of the squared ones better. You can see in the picture below that they will pick up different shades. Some look brown and some look blackish purple while others look gray. Hmmmm... I save the toothpicks in a baggie and store them with the wreath so I don't have to make new ones every year so maybe mine are just old and worn.

Place the toothpicks in a craft bowl, not a food bowl (a disposable bowl would work great) and pour in enough dye to cover them. Let them sit in the dye for about an hour. Pull one out and dry it off with a paper towel. If it is black enough for your liking, pull the others out and let them dry on paper towels. If not, leave them in for another half hour or so. Make sure you have something protecting your table or counter underneath the paper towels because you are working with black dye here. You might consider placing the paper towels on a piece of tin foil or wax paper.

Once they are all dry (I think I let mine dry over night but it probably won't take that long) place them in the grapevine wreath. Wedge them in all over. You will find that certain slots are just perfect for wedging a toothpick in and the tension of the vines will hold it in place. If a toothpick happens to slide through completely, put it in a new spot.

The idea is that the thorns represent Our Lord's many pains and sufferings for our salvation. When we make a sacrifice or offer an extra prayer, we remove a thorn hoping in some small way that our sacrifice will help make amends for the sins that caused the suffering Our Precious Lord endured. My children have tried sacrifice beans and sacrifice beads during past Lents but keep coming back to this symbolic act as the one that appeals to them most.

 

Idea from Michelle Q. in the combox: You can use strong coffee to dye your toothpicks if you can't find any RIT dye.

Pray

It has begun. Things will be quieter here. Occasionally comments may be closed. You can always reach me via email. My prayers are focused right now on this grieving family suffering a tragedy beyond comprehension. If you feel so inclined and are able, please consider sending a token of charity to the address for the relief fund at the bottom of this article.

 

Last Minute Lenten Post

So my kids sprung it on me at bedtime tonight that they would each like their own Lenten Calendar this year, but drawn by Mommy, like all the others from their memory, and not just printed off. So using my past poster-sized calendars as a guide, since the theme and design is usually always the same,...

(2009)

(2007)

I drew a small one and am now sharing it with you even though I felt very rushed making it tonight:

Printable Lenten Calendar

Should you be interested in a very lovely one, pop on over to Kimberlee's blog and download the one her children made for this year! And now I have a giant little lamb to go draw, thanks Karen! She always gives credit to the anonymous inspiration for the idea so I like to give credit to her for sharing it with us and making it a meaningful part of BigBoy's childhood!

Masks

These turned out better than we ever expected and were so much fun to make! Can you guess who made which one? Hint: I made one for myself and one for Husband. The children each made their own.

You'll find more information and more pictures on our cookies masks over at Catholic Cuisine. 

 

Mardi Gras Masks

My kids asked if we were going to make mardi gras masks again this year. Um... why didn't you ask mommy that last week? I had no supplies to make masks! Or so I thought. A quick Google search led me to this place where you can print three different templates on card stock and decorate them. I highly recommend glueing two layers of card stock together before cutting them out. Makes them sturdier! They are a little on the small size if you have big kids. I couldn't figure out how to make them bigger on my printer, so I just printed them at their regular size and cut bigger following the shape of the mask. Does that make sense?

Of course, decorating supplies were courtesy of the craft closets we keep in the garage. Glitter glue, sticky gems, non-sticky gems, sequins, markers and ribbon... oh my! I even had some bamboo skewers to use. This craft cost us nothing but some printer ink. The children are still working on theirs so I will post later with an update.

It might seem frivolous to some to work on a paper craft project for today when we are only going to throw it away tomorrow. I don't plan to. While we worked, we talked about the mask of sin that we all wear. Sin can be beautiful and enticing on the outside. It can look like fun and make you feel like the life of the party, but it is just a mask, smothering the true beauty of virtue. That's not to say that these masks represent sinfulness because we certainly enjoyed making them and that might send a mixed message, but rather they remind us of what true beauty is and that we should be striving for it.

Off to go make cookie masks!

Lenten Preparations

Lent is a privileged time of interior pilgrimage towards Him Who is the fount of mercy.

~ Message of His Holiness Benedict XVI for Lent 2006

As you can see, these traditions have developed over time in our family. If this is your first year to try some activities to help your children embrace this meaningful season even more, I highly recommend choosing one or two to start with. See what works for your family and then add more if you'd like to.

Preparations

Lenten Reading Plans (2010)

Mardi Gras Cookie Masks (2010)

Shrove Tuesday (painted masks 2009)

Making Preparations (2007)

And he fasted forty days and forty nights
and afterward he was hungry...
Then the devil left him, and behold,
angels came and ministered to him.
Matt. 4:2, 11

Lenten Wreaths

We have one every year but it seems I have been remiss in taking pictures of them. The picture above is our most recent one from last year. Sometimes we use it by removing a thorn when we successfully complete and act of charity; other times it's just a visual reminder.
 Preparations - Part 3 (2007)

Lenten Calendars

Memory Lane (2010)

Shrove Tuesday (calendars 2009)

It Begins (2008)

Preparations - Part 2 (2007)

Saying Goodbye to the Alleluia

Wooden Letter Alleluia (2009)

Preparations - Final (2007)

Finished Alleluia Banner (2007)

Stations of the Cross

We try to make it to Mass on Friday and stay to pray stations afterwards with any of our homeschool friends who show up (weather permitting). The church has outdoor stations available only because of the group of elderly people who get together to pray the rosary after Mass. 

Here are some excellent resources for praying the Stations of the Cross for Children:

Jennifer Miller's printable versions

Domestic Church's Coloring Pages

Multimedia Presentation by Loyola Press

Activities

Lenten Cleaning (2009)

Clothespin Apostles (2009)

Friday Lenten Fun (2009)

Lenten Friday Fun *UPDATE (2008)

First Contestant (2008)

Easter Tree

Holy Week

Holy Week Traditions (2008)

Good Friday (2008)

Good Friday Reflections (2007)