Our Holy Week Review

Wednesday of Holy Week



Egg Carton Easter Crafts

Holy Thursday



Washing of the Feet



Kneading Unleavened Bread



We ate our bread, warm from the oven, with butter and honey.

Good Friday



Resurrection Cookies; here the Love Bugs are "beating" the nuts, which mimic the beatings of Christ, during His Passion.



"The Tomb"

Holy Saturday



Honey Bunches leading us in "Amazing Grace"

Easter Sunday



Removing the Resurrection Cookies



Praying at the graves of Grandma Trinie and Grandpa Beno.



"The Amazing Race" at Sissy #2's house.



Polish Horseshoes



An Easter tradition; our family picture on the steps.

Happy Easter! 



Our Easter season centerpiece.  Monkey received this candle 14 years ago when he was welcomed into full communion at the Easter Vigil.

The Home Stretch

Holy Week

I was recently asked the question, "what is the difference between a New Year's resolution and giving stuff up for Lent?"  My very simple answer was that the center of a resolution is "me" and the heart of a Lenten sacrifice is Christ.

When I choose to resolve something, is tends to be about me and attempting to make a lifestyle change for the better (i.e. shed a few pounds, eat healthier, shop wiser, read more, etc.).  When I choose to give something up for Lent (fast), its foundation is based on my relationship with God.  Through fasting, whether it is from a favorite food/beverage, or from technology, or from a habit, I become keenly aware of my dependence on God, for it is only Him that can satisfy my deepest hunger. 

For me, I look at my Lenten journey as a sort of spiritual pilgrimage.  If you've ever been on a pilgrimage, you know that it breaks one down; spiritually, emotionally, and sometimes physically.  But then in the midst of our brokenness, we recognize that it is God who can make us whole once again.  We come out of the darkness and into the Light.

The beauty of fasting is that it is not intended to last forever.  A fast is not designed for that, for after the fast comes the feast.   On Easter Sunday, we will feast on the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, and celebrate wholly a joyous new life in our Risen Lord.  Hallelujah!

Holy Week is my favorite week of the calendar year.  We submerge ourselves in tradition and symbolism and the richness of our faith.  Without the events of this week, there would be no Easter story to tell.

Just one more thing. . .I did not give up sweets for Lent.  I was craving chocolate one afternoon and Monkey bought me this.  It is pure delight and has now been added to my secret chocolate stash.  Shhh.  Don't tell the Love Bugs!

The Love Bugs

I have activities planned this week for the Love Bugs and a few special surprises for Easter Sunday.  I'm so excited that I'm a little giddy about it.  I admit, I am a bit of a catechectical nerd. 

A few weeks ago, I was talking to the kids about confession.

Me:  Does anyone know the steps to a good confession?
Gummi (jumping up and down):  I know this!  I know this!  Give him (the priest) a firm handshake and look him in the eye!

In case you're curious, the steps to a good confession are: 

1. Examine your conscience
2. Be sorry for your sins
3. Have a firm resolve to avoid those sins in the future
4. Confess your sins to a priest
5. Satisfaction ~ fulfill your penance

It has become a habit of Sweet Pea to exclaim, "Nuts!" in any number of situations.  Now I understand that she could use much worse words or phrases, however, she says this so often that we have been encouraging her to think of other ways to express herself.  Yesterday, as she was working on her homework, she made a mistake on a worksheet and needed to erase it.  As usual, she said, "Oh nuts!", but then she caught me looking at her and she quickly added, "I mean nuts-a-roo!"

Well played Sweet Pea.

This past Saturday, the girls and I were watching cooking shows on T.V.  One of the shows was Martha (Stewart) Bakes.  We were probably 15 minutes into the show when Sweet Pea asked, "Mom, is that woman a man?"

Sorry Martha. 

I hope you all have a blessed Holy Week and a beautiful Easter!  Enjoy "new life" that is budding all around us.

Fat Tuesday, Lent and St. Patrick's Day

We are well into our second week of Lent.  This year, in particular, I anticipated the arrival of Lent with great expectations. You see, almost every year during the month of January and part of February, I experience a kind of spiritual desert.  Maybe it has to do with our long winters and shorter amounts of sunlight, but there are days when it feels as if I am just going through the motions in my prayer life.  I feel sort of "dried up" on the inside.  This year was no exception and I welcomed the season of Lent to really focus on spending more time in prayer, scripture and other spiritual reading.  I also want to say that it is during this desert experience that I am eternally grateful to my parents for instilling within me a spiritual discipline; one that I rely on to carry me through, until I once again am renewed and refreshed.   

FAT TUESDAY

What has become our tradition on Fat Tuesday, is to order this beauty above.  It is so good that we couldn't even wait to eat it before taking a picture.

Monkey used to work at a local pizza joint, and often after his shift, he would bring over a "Top of the Line with Sauerkraut."  I was hesitant to even try it at first, as I am a traditional pizza girl.  I like "normal" toppings and I avoid "specialty" pizza (i.e. taco, cheeseburger, etc).  One bite of this baby, however, and I was completely hooked.  Totally delicious and totally worth eating it on Fat Tuesday.  Because it is an indulgence, we really only eat it this one time of year.

During supper, we discussed the sacrifices each person would make during Lent, in preparation for Easter. Some are giving up their video games, some are giving up sweets, one is giving up "being mean" (???), and Pumpkin is giving up orange soda.  For the record, I don't buy soda for the kids and I can probably count on one hand the number of times Pumpkin has drank orange soda in the last year, but whatever.  She considers it a sacrifice and that is what is important.

I have given up my phone for uses other than phone calls.  I have had some really successful days, and then there are days when I have forgotten and I find myself checking my e-mails or Facebook.  On a positive note, my kids have noticed me putting my phone down, which tells me that it is a practice I need to continue well after Lent is over.

This is our new centerpiece for the season.  It contains a Crown of Thorns, a Rosary, Sacrifice Beads, a Rice Bowl, and a prayer card.  Each candle represents one Sunday in Lent.  The pink candle is for Laetare Sunday, and the red candle is for Passion Sunday.

ST. PATRICK'S DAY

The Love Bugs look forward to St. Patrick's Day each year.  We don't have a bit of Irish in our blood, but we still take the time to celebrate with exuberance.  They get a non-uniform day (which they consider a treat) and dress in green.

The girls insisted on a funny picture.  The boys wanted nothing to do with this!

After work, Monkey cooked supper for us; corned beef, cabbage and rice, Chamorro style.  We had planned on our usual Shamrock Shakes, however the youth from our parish were hosting a fundraiser at the Dairy Queen, so we settle for Dilly Bars instead (well, I actually got a Blizzard - shhhhhh).  I promised the Love Bugs we would get the Shamrock Shakes this weekend.

So that's it for my little update.  Lent is off to a great start and today is the first day of Spring.  The sun is shining, the snow is melting and I'm putting away all of my winter/snowman decor.  

I wish you all a very blessed Lenten season, one that draws you closer to Jesus and springs forth light and love in your heart!

St. Anthony's Workin' Overtime

For the last three years, our family has adopted a patron saint.  A few days leading up to New Year's Eve, we begin discussing which saints are in the running for becoming our Family Patron Saint in the coming year. Then, after Mass on New Year's Eve, we come home to narrow down our choice and vote.  In 2012, we selected St. Cecilia - the patron of musicians.  We have a home budding with young musicians, so St. Cecelia was a great choice.  Before piano recitals and school concerts, we would invoke St. Cecelia for her prayers to calm nerves.  St. Sebastian, the patron of athletes, was our family saint for 2013.  He was called upon more than once for our swimmers, gymnasts, football and basketball players.  This year, we chose St. Anthony, the patron of lost things.  As Sweet Potato argued before the voting, "He should win because we lose things ALL. THE. TIME."

Everyday, someone in our household misplaces something; hats, mittens/gloves, snow pants, boot liners, homework, backpacks, toys, keys - you get the idea.  I try, really hard, to keep everyone organized.  I make it painfully simple, or so I think.  Regardless, time each and everyday is spent searching for something. St. Anthony is beckoned often.  We ask for his prayers in finding the lost and restoring some sort of order. When the lost is found we give a prayer of thanksgiving.

Earlier today, Pumpkin and I were at Walmart.  I had a list of things I needed to purchase, and since it was really cold outside, I wanted a one-stop shopping experience.  We were at the photo center, getting some pictures developed.  I ordered what I needed and then told Pumpkin to follow me over to the scanner to pick up our pictures.  I assumed she was behind me.  I scanned my ticket, waited for my pictures to print, collected my photos and then turned to tell Pumpkin it was time to go.  That is when I realized she wasn't behind me.  I quickly looked around the photo area, trying to search out her pink coat and her pink, piggy hat.  She wasn't there.  I yelled her name, to which the other shoppers turned to look at me.  My face turned red and my stomach knotted up.  I ran out into the main aisle and looked left and then right.

I didn't see her.

I pushed my cart to the side and prayed, first to Jesus to be with her, and then to St. Anthony to lead me to my baby.  I pleaded that I would find her quickly.

I ran back to the main aisle.  And then I heard her cry.  I looked to my left and saw her pink, piggy hat headed towards the automotive center.  I ran in her direction, yelling her name.  She saw me and came running into my arms.  We were both crying.  At that moment, my fear turned into relief and then into disappointment.  I was disappointed the Pumpkin had wandered off and disappointed in myself for not keeping closer tabs on my child.

I firmly held her hand for the rest of our shopping trip.

Thank you Jesus for your protection, and thank you St. Anthony for your prayers.


The following are excerpts about the saints from the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

956   The intercession of the saints. “Being more closely united to Christ, those who dwell in heaven fix the whole Church more firmly in holiness.... [T]hey do not cease to intercede with the Father for us, as they proffer the merits which they acquired on earth through the one mediator between God and men, Christ Jesus.... So by their fraternal concern is our weakness greatly helped.”495 (1370, 2683)

957   Communion with the saints. “It is not merely by the title of example that we cherish the memory of those in heaven; we seek, rather, that by this devotion to the exercise of fraternal charity the union of the whole Church in the Spirit may be strengthened. Exactly as Christian communion among our fellow pilgrims brings us closer to Christ, so our communion with the saints joins us to Christ, from whom as from its fountain and head issues all grace, and the life of the People of God itself”498: (1173)

We worship Christ as God’s Son; we love the martyrs as the Lord’s disciples and imitators, and rightly so because of their matchless devotion towards their king and master. May we also be their companions and fellow disciples!499

958   Communion with the dead. “In full consciousness of this communion of the whole Mystical Body of Jesus Christ, the Church in its pilgrim members, from the very earliest days of the Christian religion, has honored with great respect the memory of the dead; and ‘because it is a holy and a wholesome thought to pray for the dead that they may be loosed from their sins’ she offers her suffrages for them.”500 Our prayer for them is capable not only of helping them, but also of making their intercession for us effective. (1371, 1032, 1689)

959   In the one family of God. “For if we continue to love one another and to join in praising the Most Holy Trinity—all of us who are sons of God and form one family in Christ—we will be faithful to the deepest vocation of the Church.”501 (1027)

495 LG 49; cf. 1 Tim 2:5.
498 LG 50; cf. Eph 4:1-6.
499 Martyrium Polycarpi, 17: Apostolic Fathers II/3, 396.
500 LG 50; cf. 2 Macc 12:45.
501 LG 51; cf. Heb 3:6.

White Knuckle Driving

I've come to my own conclusion about "Minnesota Nice."  I imagine most folks think it has to do with our light-hearted, friendly demeanor.  And although that has much to do with it, I also attribute it to our ability to strike up a conversation with just about anyone, anywhere.  You see living where we do, well, people are ALWAYS talking about the weather.   You can be at the bank, at the gas station, in line at the post office, paying for groceries at the market, dropping kids off at school; it doesn't really matter, because the common denominator is the weather.  It is always considered conversation worthy, not dependent at all on who is listening.  As long as one is breathing, then there is always the weather to discuss.

Once again, we are digging out of another winter storm.  As tiring as this season has been, it is also quite beautiful.  Right outside our front window is a snow covered tree, with icicles hanging from the branches. Although I would much prefer looking at the tree in bloom, today it is very calming to look at.  

Surviving this winter season, I believe, has much to do with attitude.  Someone recently told me that this year reminds him of winters from his childhood.  They were not unlike what we are experiencing now.  I think we have just been a bit spoiled in recent years, with mostly mild winters and not much snow.  So one of my keys to survival is to find the "sunshine" in my life each day.

My mom recently celebrated her 75th Birthday.  She came home with an array of gorgeous flowers.  One of the many benefits of living with the birthday girl is that I get to enjoy these beauties with her.

I told Pumpkin, "You have yogurt between your eyes."  Then she did this and said, "I don't see it!"  

Sweet Potato and Gummi participated in a Junior Festival Piano Competition a few weeks ago.  They each had to go into a room by themselves with just a judge, and play two recital pieces by memory.  While waiting his turn, Sweet Potato grabbed my hand and held it.  As he is getting older, these moments are getting farther and further in between.

About a month ago, as we were celebrating Cucumber's birthday, my Brother-in-law cleaned my kitchen.  That definitely brought sunshine to my day!

Now back to the title of this entry. One day last week we received a light dusting of snow.  It wasn't much, but it was enough to make the roads slick.  I was taking the kids to school.  I admit I was driving too fast for the conditions, and as the car in front of me braked, I realized that I was either going to rear-end him, or go in the ditch.  I opted for the ditch.  A curse word escaped from my lips and at that moment, the car in front of me turned, allowing me to slide right past him.  No harm done!  A few moments later, as we were all catching our breath, Sweet Pea asked, "Mommy?  Where did you learn that word?"

Awkward.

Yesterday, the snow began falling by mid-morning, and as the day progressed, so did the size of the snowflakes.  The roads were horrible - icy, snowy and slushy, all at the same time?!?!  I picked the kids up from school, and we began our very slow trek home.  Because it felt like we were sliding all over the road, I wouldn't take my hands off the steering wheel nor my eyes off the road.  Gummi, who was sitting in the front seat, cried, "Mom I have a bloody nose."  I yelled for Honey Bunches to grab my purse and pull out the wad of tissues I had in one of the pockets.  Shortly after, Honey asked, "What the heck kind of tissue is this?"  As I quickly glanced behind me I noticed he was holding a Maxi Pad.  I told him to put that back and grab the "regular" size tissues.

Awkward.

Honey Bunches Turns 10

Honey Bunches at 3, 6, and 12 months

"The eyes are the window to the soul."  I love this quote, especially when I apply it to my wonderful son, Honey Bunches.  He turned 10 on February 6th.

As a baby, Honey's eyes captivated me with their dark - almost black color.  His eyes still capture my heart, with their depth and lashes so long they brush against his glasses.  I've been told more than once that Honey has an old soul.  He is often protective of what lies deep within, but every once in awhile, he allows others a glimpse.

Honey Bunches giving Pumpkin a guitar lesson. 

Honey voluntarily helping Sweet Pea with her reading homework.

Last fall, his 4th grade teacher explained to us that she sees Honey as a boy with many layers.  Her goal for the year; to peel some of those layers away to find the true Honey Bunches.  As a mom, I was truly joyful in hearing that recognition.  In school, he often talks when he shouldn't and spends too much time digging in his desk (when he shouldn't), so to hear that another sees Honey as more than those things, well, it made my heart sing.

Speaking of singing, Honey sings every, single day. He'll ask me to turn the radio off and then serenades us to and from school.  His siblings don't always appreciate it, but I love it.  He sings with feeling and shows no fear in showing it.  I was a bit under the weather a few weeks ago, and as I lied on the sofa, Honey stroked my hair and asked, "do you want me to sing to you Mom?"

When asked what he wanted for his birthday this year, Honey needed some time to think about it.  He came back with, "people can just make a donation to a charity instead of buying me presents."  I promise, I did not coach him to say that!

A few days later, as we were listening to the radio, Honey heard a promo for the TobyMac concert coming to the Twin Cities.  He tried to win tickets by calling into the radio station, but he couldn't get through. With help from an Auntie, we were able to buy two tickets to that concert.

Monkey created a scavenger hunt for Honey. With each clue, he received a puzzle piece.  At the end of the hunt, he put all the pieces together to reveal his gift.

Honey Bunches before the TobyMac concert.

In addition to the concert, Honey also received tickets to The Lego's Movie, he went to a Timber Wolves game with his cousin, and he opened up a new blanket, socks, and a box of cereal.

For his birthday supper, he chose chicken enchiladas, rice and white cake with chocolate frosting.

Honey Bunches, I am so proud of the person you are, and how you are developing the gifts and talents God has given you.  You are smart, witty, funny and talented.  I love how you would rather tear something apart and rebuild it, than to read the instructions.  I love that you wander into the kitchen each night and ask if you can help me with supper.  I love that you sing, play guitar, and have dreams of being in your own band someday.  I love that you would rather build with Lego's, read a book or play a game, than watch T.V.  You are a true treasure to our family and Dad and I are blessed beyond measure, that God chose us to be your parents.  I love you Honey, now and forever!

The mandatory "birthday picture in the corner."

Cucumber Is 7

This little Cucumber turned seven years old on January 10th.  The morning of her birthday, she was awake before I came into her room, ready to announce that "today is my special day!"  Since we were not planning on celebrating her birthday for at least another week, I attempted to satisfy a few of her requested whims.  She asked for oatmeal for breakfast, with an extra sprinkle of brown sugar.  She "pretty pleased" me into buying chocolate cupcakes with whipped, white frosting and colorful sprinkles to share with her classmates.

 She wanted to cash in a non-uniform pass on the exact day of her birthday, but since it was a Mass day, she had to wait until the following Monday.

For supper we had pepperoni pizza, and her cake of choice was chocolate with chocolate frosting.

Her gifts included Lucky Charms, a Paracord Bracelet Kit, underwear, the lovely white jacket (shown above), a monkey, Shrek, and a headband (the last 3 items were re-gifted from her little sisters).

On another day with extended family, we celebrated once more.  Her requested meal was grilled ribs, steak and rice.  Monkey claims that she is "a true Chamorro!"

To top it all off, Cucumber had an Oreo Blizzard ice-cream cake.  She also received a Rainbow Loom Kit, a giant tub of cheeseballs and socks.


There are many reasons I love this little girl.  She is confident, funny and quirky.  Many of the phrases that roll off her tongue remind me of someone who is beyond their years.  We were having a conversation one day and were interrupted by one of the Love Bugs.  Once the commotion passed, Cucumber said, "O.k. Mom, as you were saying."

She greatly dislikes to clean her room and is as stubborn as anyone I know.  She can outlast all of her siblings in any sort of stand-off.

She can quote movies, tell jokes and put on an impromptu play.

When I look at Cucumber, I see someone who portrays certain characteristics that I wish I had as a kid.  I was so reserved and shy, but Cucumber, well, she has the determination to conquer the world.

These past seven years have been a thrill, watching this child develop into herself and having a heart for Jesus.

Cucumber, I love you more than you'll probably ever know.  You are a true treasure to our family and to all those who know and love you.  Happy Birthday Sweets!