First Grade!!

Karol just finished his last math test for first grade. 🙂 Now to just do the assesment tests on spelling and religion and we can officially close out the school year.

I already ordered the materials for “next year” for both Karol and Margaret. Margaret is so excited about starting first grade that she keeps asking, every day, if her things are here yet.

 

Filed under: General Stuff

Alabama Weekend

Sometimes I think of Birmingham, Alabama as my second southern home. It is where I go on retreat, it is where we have many religious friends, and it is a city, where, while visiting, I feel pretty comfortable in.

This weekend, the whole family went to Birmingham to attend the priestly ordinations of Fr. Leonard and Fr. Patrick, from the Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word, as well as the diaconate ordinations of Br. John Paul and Br. Paschal. Br. John Paul and Br. Paschal were both classmates of Joshua’s at the Josephinum (they were studying as diocesan seminarians at the time and both ended up at the MVFA.)  Also ordained on Saturday was Fr. Michael Vu from the diocese of Birmingham.

The ordination was held at the Cathedral of St. Paul in Birmingham. I’d never been to the Cathedral there before and was not disappointed, it was beautiful.
We left on Friday morning, first dropping cinnamon rolls off to our friends who were moving, that day, to above the gnat line.  We then headed west, first stopping in Auburn, Alabama to take a peak at the Mises Institute to check it out.  It was a lot smaller than I expected, but we did eat lunch in their parking lot, thanks guys.
We then headed up to Hanceville. Alabama and the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament. There we met Brother David from the Knights of the Holy Eucharist. The Knights offer a free retreat from priests, religious brothers, and seminarians, so pass the link along, they are right on the grounds of the Shrine. During our tour, Brother had to help the sisters with something, so we headed over to the “castle” (aka the gift shop) but stopped for confession and a few moments of adoration.
Let me just say that once Karol was born, our practice of a daily holy hour went by the wayside. Not because we wanted to, but because the demands of being a new mother and that of a fussy Karol made for frustrations when we would try. We took all four kids in to the Shrine and prayed while waiting for confession.  I would say they lasted for just over 15 minutes. (The older ones could have gone longer, it was the 20 month old giving us grief. ;))  It was wonderful to be able to go to confession and spend a few moments before our Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament.
After our mini-holy hour and confessions (not mini), we met back up with Brother David and continued with our tour. We stopped to see the chapel with the display of the nativity. How wonderful to have the Christ Child with us year around.
The gift shop was nice, with many things to look at and to keep small fingers away from. I did not spend over my budgeted amount and picked up a few nice gifts as well as things for the kids. At that point, Joshua went off to have a meeting with Brother (the real reason we headed up there) and the kids ran around the grounds for a bit.
After Joshua was done with his meeting, we headed back to Birmingham, to our hotel and for dinner. We got Chipotle and brought it back to our hotel room, chilled out and watched lame-o tv.  We ended up watching the Food Network for a bit then headed off to sleep, it was a long day.
The next morning was the ordination, but not until 11, so we were able to enjoy breakfast and not rush through things. The kids got baths in the morning while I ironed (shocking I know) Karol’s shirt and pants. (My idea of ironing is putting it in the dryer.) We left for the ordination and finally found parking in a garage and got in the Cathedral 20 minutes early. There were no seats. The usher took pity on us and gave us the seats of some of the Fourth Degree Knights.
Our children did pretty well during the ordination, for the length and the fact that we were sitting in the back, I was pretty amazed. The two younger ones fell asleep toward the end, and the knight sitting behind us said they’d keep an eye on them, so we didn’t have to wake them to go up for Communion.
After the ordination and small reception, we headed over to the reception given by the Friars. First we had to leave the parking garage. No attendant on duty and it cost $2.00 to get out. We had a single and a dollar in change, just in case the auto attendant did not take debit cards. Not only did it not take debit cards, it did not take anything but dollar bills and quarters. Nice. We called the number on the box and they sent someone over to let us out.
Once that was done, we headed over to the other reception, where we were able to visit with Brother John Paul and talk with a few other people as well as receive a First Priestly Blessing from one of the newly ordained. Graces, graces, graces!!
The next morning we went to Mass at Casa Maria, and were able to surprise a dear sister friend of ours. We visited before mass then after with the sisters and family I met while on retreat a few months back. The kids ran and we talked, Margaret made a new friend as did Karol. Caecilia tried to give everyone a kiss goodbye. (Asking 8 year old boys for kisses and seeing their reaction kinda funny).
A few weeks ago, Margaret told me that she wanted to be a sister because a sister is married to God, so I was excited for her to be able to meet a few sisters. Margaret was shy, but in the end she hugged our Sister friend goodbye.
We had a wonderful weekend and a wonderful visit with friends!
Filed under: General Stuff, Travel

Lincoln Log Weapons

This evening, the kids are playing with the Lincoln Logs. Benedict just walked through the living room with one planted in Margaret’s back making “blaster” or “phaser” noises.

I asked him if he was shooting Margaret and he replied (with a smile I might add) “Uh huh!”

Now he is pretending to take food out of the lower oven. What a crazy kid!

Filed under: General Stuff

Quick Cinnamon Rolls

I love cinnamon rolls. I love almost all things cinnamon, actually. Some mornings I wake up and want a nice cinnamon roll with butter, but don’t have the time to make them before breakfast time, so make due without. I stumbled across the idea of a No Rise Cinnamon Roll a few months ago and let me tell you, these are great! I worked on a recipe of my own, and today I think I perfected it!

 

No Rise Cinnamon Rolls

Time:

Prep – 10 minutes

Bake – 17 minutes

 

Dough

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 4 tablespoons of butter
  • 1 cup milk
Filling
  • 4 tablespoons of butter
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 4-5 tablespoons of cinnamon (or to taste)

 

Directions

1. Grease an 8×8 pan.

2. Turn oven on to 400 degrees

 

Filling:

1.  Place butter into a microwaveable bowl and microwave for 30 seconds, to melt the butter. (Keep an eye on it, so that it doesn’t burn, it doesn’t have to be totally melted).

2. Add the sugar and cinnamon to the melted butter, stir. Set aside.

 

Dough:

1. Place the flour, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Cut the butter into small chunks and add to the bowl. Cut the butter in to the flour mixture until it looks like crumbs.

2. Making a well in the center, place the milk and stir until incorporated. This dough will be very sticky.

3. Turn the dough onto a well floured surface and knead a few times, to incorporate more flour (but don’t over do it). When the dough no longer sticks to your hands or the board, roll it out to be 10-12 inches wide and 15-18 inches long. Make sure that it is not sticking to your board or counter as you roll it out. If it seems to be sticking, lift up and add flour underneath.

4. Spread the cinnamon sugar mixture onto rolled out dough, leaving a 1/2 inch margin on one side of the long edge.

5.Starting with the long end that has the cinnamon mixture on it, slowly roll the dough, in a semi-tight roll.

6. When finished rolling, pinch the seam together and lay seam down. Using a sharp knife or a board scraper, cut into one inch pieces.

7. Place cut side down, side by side, in your greased pan.

8. Bake at 400 degrees for 17 minutes.

9. Test for doneness (Temp around 190 degrees or lightly golden)

 

Serve with butter and coffee.

 

 

 

Filed under: Food, General Stuff

Don’t Cross That Line

As readers of my blog and those who know me in real life,  know I seldom back down from a fight. I usually don’t mind a little back and forth and I do, contrary to what others might want to believe, listen to what others have to say.

However, today, a line was crossed. 

After Mass, while we were standing in front of the church, I was approached by a fellow parishioner and was told that I need to watch who I am associating with and called those of us who support Ron Paul rabble-rousers, he said a few other things as well, about how the Ron Paul people will betray me.

Excuse me? There is a time and a place for discussions about politics (and threats) but following Mass, while standing in sight of the Tabernacle, after receiving our Lord in the Eucharist is not that time.

Also, both my husband and I are Ron Paul supporters, so why did not he not speak with him as well? Why just approach me? Why not speak with the both of us? I honestly feel that there was some bullying tactics going on there.

If you want to discuss politics with me, ask me for my phone number, ask me to meet you for coffee, ask me if you can talk to me, but do not blindside me, while standing outside of the church (where we just received our Lord) and talk to me as if I am some sort of idiot for believing in liberty and supporting the candidate who will truly defend the Constitution of the United States.

I wrote this last night and for some reason it didn’t post when I hit publish. That is fine because it gives me a chance to add this part: 

I have never discussed politics with this man, nor anyone else, at church. This man has never said more than 10 words to me. Our formal introduction was at the District Convention for the Republican Party, we exchanged pleasantries and went on our way, we have never spoken at church.  I doubt he reads this blog and I know he can’t see what I put on Facebook.  Also, at the District Convention, it was pretty clear that we were Ron Paul supporters (who are following the Party rules). Why didn’t he approach us there? 

That all being said, I still support Ron Paul for president, but what’s more, I have guaranteed God given rights under the Constitution and I am not going to sit back and shut up while those rights are being taken away from me.  

Filed under: General Stuff

Love Songs

MamaHen over at Long Days Short Years, has a post about love songs. It is a great little post and I felt compelled to respond. (I usually read but seldom comment on blogs anymore) but here is what I came up with:

I’m probably going to have to sit back and overcome my embarrassment of sitting around listening to songs and dreaming of my future love before I could even come up with that “one” song.

There were songs that were “our song” with previous boyfriends. There were songs in between boyfriends that tore my heart apart because I wanted a boy friend. Then there were the anger filled break up songs, because some guy had wronged me.

I seldom listen to the radio anymore, but if I happen across one of them, I either cringe, or a laugh, because my husband and our marriage is more amazing than I could ever have dreamed about while listening to one of those songs.

I’ve actually turned off the radio before out of sadness because of how much one of my previously beloved love songs fails to even come close to describing the real thing.

Filed under: General Stuff

Then There Were Three

With Santorum out of the race, where do his supporters turn? I have been told that we all need to unite behind Romney, but I am not willing to go there. Romney still has major issues that I cannot move beyond and I still don’t feel that he is the “one to beat Obama”.

One of those issues is his view of torture. I posted this link before, but wanted to update it, now that things have changed a bit in the race for the Republican Nomination. I urge my readers and friends who have yet to vote in their state’s primary. (ahem, Indiana)

Positions of The Republican candidates on torture and related issues

It has been quite some time since I’ve posted anything on this blog; life has simply been busy, but I hope to remedy things as the 2012 election season heats up.

For today, I’d simply like to post the position of the various Republican candidates on the issue of torture/enhanced interrogation and related issues. I’m drawing my summaries from various sources, so I’ll include a selection of links at the bottom of the post. (the links are in the link I posted up there. baf) 

The candidates are listed in alphabetical order.

Gingrich: Has been quoted as saying that waterboarding is something America shouldn’t do. Believes that Guantanamo should remain open until the terrorists disappear.

Huntsman: Opposes waterboarding; calls Guantanamo an “imperfect solution” but criticizes Obama for breaking his promise to close it.

Paul: Opposes torture and waterboarding as illegal and immoral; opposes Patriot Act; thinks Guantanamo should be closed.

Perry: Says he opposes torture but approves of enhanced interrogation which includes “any technique” used to save American lives. Supports keeping Guantanamo open.

Romney: Favors enhanced interrogation techniques and will not say whether waterboarding qualifies as such a technique. Has said Guantanamo could be doubled in size if needed.

Santorum: Voted to renew Patriot Act. Would continue using Guantanamo for terror suspects. Says that waterboarding is effective. Said John McCain didn’t understand how enhanced interrogation works, that the object is to break a man so he will become cooperative.

Here is what the Catholic Church teaches about torture:
THE CATECHISM ON TORTURE

“2297 Kidnapping and hostage taking bring on a reign of terror; by means of threats they subject their victims to intolerable pressures. They are morally wrong. Terrorism threatens, wounds, and kills indiscriminately; it is gravely against justice and charity. Torture which uses physical or moral violence to extract confessions, punish the guilty, frighten opponents, or satisfy hatred is contrary to respect for the person and for human dignity. Except when performed for strictly therapeutic medical reasons, directly intended amputations, mutilations, and sterilizations performed on innocent persons are against the moral law.”

Furthermore, this stance has been reiterated by Pope Benedict XVI and Blessed John Paul II:
Public authorities must be ever vigilant in this task, eschewing any means of punishment or correction that either undermine or debase the human dignity of prisoners. In this regard, I reiterate that the prohibition against torture “cannot be contravened under any circumstances” – Pope Benedict XVI  September 2006
Filed under: General Stuff