The Nature Center

We spent part of the day with some friends at a local nature center. My little boys were excited to see the ducks. I couldn't help but smile when I heard Kieran exclaim, "There's a duck. There's a duck."

 

We're looking forward to another field trip next week. 😊 

Tummy Time

Aidan enjoys his few minutes without his "boots and bar" each day. He's very good at rolling from one place to another and pushing himself backwards. Sometimes, I just sit and watch my baby boy in awe. When I see him rocking back and forth on all fours, I can't help but be amazed. He was in and out of a cast on his right leg from July 6 to October 28. Since then, he has worn his shoes and bar for 23 hours each day. Despite all this, he is exactly where he should be. I know that like his brothers and sisters, he will crawl when he is meant to do so.

God is so good!

2016 Personal Reading

Characters of the Passion
by Ven. Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen
Fr. Saguto recommended this book to me. It is excellent reading for Lent.




Covenanted Happiness
by Msgr.  Cormac Burke
This was another Fr. Saguto recommendation. I'm glad that I read it.




Humility of Heart
by Fr. Cajetan Mary de Bergamo
This book took me almost a year to read. I will be rereading it this year. I highly recommend it.




St. Monica and the Power of Persistent Prayer
by Mike Aquilina




St. Monica: Model of Christian Mothers
by F.A. Forbes




Tasha Tudor's Garden
by Tovah Martin
This is one of my favorite gardening books. I can dream...

Preparing Our Hearts and Minds

The manger is ready and waiting to be filled with soft hay each time one of
our children offers a good deed to God during Advent.

"Before Our Lady conceived Our Lord in the flesh,
she conceived Him in the interior silence of her soul."
~ Advent Recollection: Silence ~

I hope to listen to this Advent Recollection Series again. If we are quiet, it is because, once again this year, my family and I will be focusing on the beauty of Advent and being Christkindls to each other. We will be preparing our hearts, minds, and souls for the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

May God bless you with a peaceful, faith-filled, and fruitful Advent!

Repost from 11/30/2014 

Pray the Rosary

"The single most important thing that we can do for our country is to pray the Rosary."

~ Fr. Matthew Hincks ~

Pregnancy Exercise Videos

Each time that I meet with a nutritionist during pregnancy, I am told that it is essential to exercise for at least 30 minutes each day. I find it hard to find the time to do so, but I try to do so at least once or twice a week. It's better than nothing.

Living in the Pacific Northwest makes daily walks questionable; however, I do try to get outside and walk when I can. Using the treadmill gets a little boring after a while. I have found that various exercise videos, checked out from the library, can help with the monotony. The following exercise videos have been helpful. If only I could find the time to use them on a regular basis.

10 Minute Solution Prenatal Pilates Lizbeth Garcia provides a pretty easy and gentle workout.

Denise Austin's Fit and Firm Pregnancy Denise Austin provides an easy 20-minute low-impact aerobic workout which is followed by toning exercises that are geared to specific trimesters. She also includes a 20-minute exercise postnatal segment.

Suzanne Bowen's Long and Lean Prenatal Workout This is probably the hardest exercise video that I have used. Suzanne Bowen does a great job. Unfortunately, I found this workout hard on my right knee. My right knee cap isn't centered and certain exercises can make it ache. I had to skip a few exercises in this video for this reason. However, I still recommend it.

T-Tapp Total Workout This isn't a prenatal workout, but I have used it while pregnant. Teresa Tapp emphasizes proper posture and alignment which I really appreciate. I can do this workout without feeling any stress on my knee.

Please share postnatal pregnancy exercise video recommendations.

Aidan's Baptism

“When a child is given to his parents, a crown is made for that child in Heaven, and woe to the parents who raise a child without consciousness of that eternal crown!”

~ Ven. Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, Life is Worth Living ~

On June 19, our little boy was baptized after Sunday Mass by our pastor. 

Priest: Aidan, quid petis ab Ecclesia Dei?

Godparents: Fidem.

Priest: Exi ab eo, immunde spiritus, et da locum Spiritui Sancto Paraclito.

Priest: Oremus: Omnipotens sempiterne Deus, Pater Domini nostri Iesu Christi, respice dignare super hunc famulum tuum, Aidan, quem ad rudimenta fidei vocare dignatus es: omnem caecitatem cordi ab eo expelle: disrumpe omnes laqueos Satanae, quibus fuerat colligatus; aperi ei, Domine ianuam pietatis tuae imbutus, omnium cupiditatum foetoribus careat, et ad suavem odorem praeceptorum tuorum laetus tibi in Ecclesia tua deserviat, et proficiat de die in diem Per eundem Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.

Priest: Per eundum Christum Dominum nostrum.

Godparents: Amen.

Priest: Aidan, ingredere in templum Dei, ut habeas partem cum Christo in vitam aeternam.

Godparents: Pater noster, qui es in cælis, sanctificetur nomen tuum. Adveniat regnum tuum. Fiat voluntas tua, sicut in cælo, et in terra. Panem nostrum cotidianum da nobis hodie. Et dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris. Et ne nos inducas in tentationem: sed libera nos a malo. Amen.

Priest: Exorcizo te, omnis spiritus immunde, in nomine Dei + Patris omnipotentis, et in nomine Iesu + Christi Filii eius, Domini et Iudicis nostri, et in virtute Spiritus + Sancti, ut discedas ab hoc plasmate Dei N, quod Dominus noster ad templum sanctum suum vocare dignatus est, ut fiat templum Dei vivi, et Spiritus Sanctus habitet in eo. Per eundum Christum Dominum nostrum, qui venturus est iudicare vivos et mortuos, et saeculum per ignem.

Priest: Ephpheta, quod est, Adaperire. In odorem suavitatis. Tu autem effugare, diabole; appropinquabit enim iudicium Dei.

Priest: Aidan, vis baptizari?

Godparents: Volo.

Priest: Aidan, ego te baptizo in nomine + Patris, et Filii +, et Spiritus + Sancti.

Priest: Accipe lampadem ardentem, et irreprehensibilis custodi Baptismum tuum: serva Dei mandata ut cum Dominus venerit ad nuptias, possis occurrere ei una cum omnibus Sanctis in aula caelesti, habeasque vitam aeternam, et vivas in saecula saeculorum.

Priest: Aidan, vade in pace et Dominus sit tecum. Amen.

Churching and Consecration to Our Blessed Mother

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me.

Amen.

I think that it is the first time that we have ever had a priest call us to find out when we wanted our baby baptized. Our pastor had a reason for calling. Thanks to his prayers and the intercession of St. Joseph, our baby boy experienced a miracle while I was pregnant with him (that's a story for another day).

We chose our second oldest daughter and a family friend to be the godparents of our baby. We have been impressed by the faith of both Aidan's godmother and godfather over the years and were happy that both of them graciously agreed to be our baby boy's godparents.

We are so thankful to our family for their prayers on our youngest son's Baptism day and to all of our friends who witnessed and celebrated our youngest's baptism with us.