Lena {JOYfilledfamily}

Hope Topiary

October 4, 2010 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: Crafts, Gardening, Little Flowers, St. Monica

Ivy is the flower/plant that coordinates with Hope – Little Flowers Wreath I. Ivy topiaries are my favorite. It was an easy choice for me, I decided to have the girls plant an ivy clipping for St. Monica & Hope. The girls will care for their ivy plants in hope that they will take root and grow to be formed around the heart topiary.

"Hope must encircle and cling to your heart like the climbing ivy."

~ The Catholic Girl’s Guide

Supplies:

floral wire 20 gauge – 30/pack $1.99
floral wire 22 gauge – $2.99
wire cutters – $4.99
soil (preferably seeding soil) – $5.99
planting pots – $1.49/pack (10 in ea pack. 3 packs for 30 girls)
ivy – $4.99/pot (2 pots need for 30 girls)

St. Monica Hope Heart Topiary – $1.01 per topiary

Softwood Ivy Cuttings. If time is not a consideration you can take softwood cuttings about 6 to 8 inches in length, remove the lower 2-3 leaves and insert the cutting into some damp sand or vermiculite. Keep it in a warm spot, and the roots should develop fairly rapidly (anywhere from 10-20 days) giving you a new plant.

Instructions:

create heart frame out of the 20 gauge wire
reinforce the heart frame by twisting the 22 gauge wire around the frame
cut the ivy clippings slightly below fresh growth (cut immediately before planting)
fill the pot 3/4 full with soil. lightly water.
insert the heart frame
insert the ivy clipping into the soil. use multiple clippings to ensure that one will take.
fill the pot with soil. lightly water. be sure that the clippings are firmly set in the soil.
train the ivy growth up the frame

Ivy topiaries will last and last, given proper care. Bright indirect light and moderately moist soil will keep ivy happy indoors.
The Ivy Heart Topiary is a low maintenance houseplant that grows quickly and has been trained on the topiary and only needs occasional pruning or guiding to keep it’s shape. Place this topiary in bright indirect light and keep the soil evenly moist. – Caring For Your Topiary

Resources

Instructions for topiary growth

How to re-pot a plant

How to grow trained ivy topiary

How to grow and train and ivy plant

Becoming a Little Child

October 3, 2010 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: St. Therese

October 3

St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, V

feast day in the Traditional Roman Rite Calendar

Commemoration of SAINT TERESA

Therese Martin (1873-97) entered the Carmelite convent in Lisieux, France, at the age of 15. Her simple but heroic religious life of nine years was dedicated to saving souls and to praying for priests. The young Carmelite longed to lead her hidden life of prayer in a pagan land, but illness kept her in France. Yet so well did she fulfill the essential vocation of a missioner that in 1927, two years after her canonization, Pope Pius XI declared her the patron of all missions, together with St. Francis Xavier, Apostle of the Orient.

O Lord, You have said, "Unless you become as little children, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven." May we imitate the humility and the simplicity of heart of the blessed virgin Teresa, so that we too may win an eternal reward; who lives and rules with God the Father . . .

Join In

October 1, 2010 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: Adoration, First Friday, St. Therese

Today, Oct. 1 is the feast day (in the new calendar) of St. Therese. It is also First Friday. We will attend Mass, Benediction, Father’s talk to children and unite our prayers with all those children around the world for the 8th Annual Worldwide Children’s Eucharistic Holy Hour.

The actual event will be broadcasted live on EWTN – Fri. October 1 at 10 AM ET.

St. Therese of Lisieux in her Eucharistic adoration as a child tells us:

"I loved above all the processions in honor of the Blessed Sacrament. What a joy it was for me to throw flowers beneath the feet of God! Before allowing them to fall to the ground, I threw them as high as I could and I was never so happy as when I saw roses touch the sacred monstrance." ~ Story of a Soul, The Autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux)

It’s All About YOU…

September 29, 2010 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: Me, Meme, Mom

but here’s a bit about me!

I’m accepting Dawn’s invitation to meme.

1. What’s your middle name?

carmenleta. (little carmen. i was named after my paternal grandmother and my maternal great-grandmother)

2. What’s your favorite magazine?

i don’t subscribe to any and can’t justify the cover price.

3. What are you wearing right now?

dark denim skirt, mauve sweater/shirt, no shoes.

4. What color are your bed sheets?

dark red.

5. Who was your third grade teacher?

mrs. schwenger

6. What is the weather like right now?

HOT (low 100s).

7. Do you know how to ski?

yes – water skiing, somewhat – snow skiing.

8. What was the last thing you drank?

jamba juice (st. michael, ora pro nobis.)

9. Dream vacation?

anywhere were daily mass (in the traditional roman rite ) is available and meals are provided with no clean-up required.

10. Favorite article of clothing?

black anne klien jersey skirt (from the thrift store).

11. Do you prefer baking or cooking?

cooking (my husband prefers the baking).

12. Is your hair above or below your shoulders?

below.

13. What drink do you order when out?

water.

14. What book are you reading?

chosen and cherished: biblical wisdom for your marriage by kimberley hahn.

15. What did you dream about last night?

no dreams last night – i was out cold.

16. What was the last movie you went to?

it’s been awhile. the last movie i can remember is fireproof. i went with hubby.

17. Any injuries at the moment?

nope. unless you consider post baby weight a handicap – i do.

18. What color is your bathroom?

gray sand with dark red accents.

19. What’s the state of your laundry right now?

normal state – a mess.

20. Do you take vitamins?

sporadically take pre-natals.

21. Where do you love to shop?

thrift stores, Kohl’s clearance racks (especially for shoes).

22. How often do you buy groceries?

depends on the budget. my husband does the grocery shopping when my father isn’t bring us food. it has been a rough 3 years.

23. Do you have a pet/pets?

papi has a blue-belly lizard that he named Mickey Mouse.

24. If you are married, when is your next anniversary?

wedding aug 25.

together oct 9.

25. How do you take your coffee and/or tea?

not a coffee drinker. love chamomile tea.

26. Mac or PC? Desktop or Laptop?

prefer mac but settle for pc. laptop is the best.

27. Favorite month of the year?

love the lenten season.

28. Do you have a hobby?

crafting, blogging, jogging (trying to get back in the groove) and anything for the kids.

29. What salad dressing do you prefer?

homemade apple salad dressing.

30. Live or fake Christmas tree?

fake. i’m allergic to real.

31. Did you walk or take a bus to school?

(1 hour) bus ride to grammar school. got a ride to hs.

32. Do you have any phobias?

nope.

33. What’s your favorite snack food?

air popped popcorn.

34. When do you take your shower/bath?

i take a relaxing bath generally in the late evening when husband has put all the kiddos to bed.

35. What time did you get up this morning?

3am for prayer and any unattended business, and again at 7am.

36. What’s your favorite animal?

it used to be a skunk when i was a kid.

37. Have you ever broken a bone?

3 hairline fractures in my left arm. dislocated and broken my thumb.

38. Do you wear makeup?

yes. consider it a favor to all i meet. : )

39. Do you speak any foreign languages?

unfortunately, no.

40. Have you ever played a sport?

soccer (s, mf), softball (tb, p, of), volleyball (ds)

41. Your last UPS package contained …

rose’s hs books from kolbe academy.

42. What’s on your desktop?

a pic of husband, dragonfly and me in tahoe.

43. What is your home page?

my family yahoo’s group/page calendar. i need all the reminders i can get.

44. Extrovert or introvert?

ex-introvert, somewhere in the middle of extrovert and introvert.

45. Favorite board game?

it used to be chess.

46. What class did you like best in high school? In college?

hs – trigonometry. college – entertainment law

47. What would you do with an extra hour each day?

i would need an extra hour of energy to go with it…..clean/organize. my house is due for some major organization.

48. Do you have allergies?

YES. everything outdoors. animals. nuts (not peanuts).

49. Are your nails painted?

only my toes.

50. Where are you right now?

on the rocker in the living room, cutting into my nap time.

+++

Michaelmas Day

September 28, 2010 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: Archangels, St. Michael

September 29

Feast of the Archangels - Saints Michael (who is like unto God), Gabriel (God is my strength), and Raphael (God has healed)

Old Calendar*: Dedication of the Basilica of St. Michael the Archangel (Michaelmas Day)

*This feast commemorates the dedication to St. Michael of an ancient church at Rome at a date earlier than the sixth century. St. Michael the Archangel is honored as the supreme guardian spirit of the universal Church. In heaven Michael led the good angels against Lucifer and his rebel angels. The fallen angels pursue on earth that same war against the Man-God Christ which they began in heaven. Therefore Michael continues to direct the battle against them here on earth. The standard-bearer of the Church, he introduces the departed souls of her children into God’s holy light (Offertory Hymn of Requiem Mass). He also presents our prayers to God (Incensation at High Mass), conquers demons (Prayers after Low Mass), and pleads for us sinners (Confiteor).

This is a special feast day to our family, in a sobering way. My dear husband went to naming our first lost child, Michael. The process of naming our beloved soul came years after our loss. Nonetheless, it provided a great deal of healing for both my husband and I.

Since then we have named two additional babies that have joined Our Heavenly Father, Raphael and Gabriel.

We will be silently reflecting on our angels and the archangels. We will also join the 40 Days of Life prayer vigil at a local abortion mill, to end the evils of abortion.

RESOURCES

– Children’s Activities

St. Michael Paper Doll

Guardian Angel Coloring Page

Feast of the Archangels – Games

More Archangel Activities

– Prayers

Sermon on The Angels Feast of St. Michael – Audio

St. Michael Prayer Card

Angelus Prayer

Archangels Feast Day Info & Prayers

St. Michael Chaplet

Chaplet of St. Michael – EWTN

Consecration Prayer to St. Michael

Michael of the Morning – Story of a Solider

Last Year’s Post

– Pro Life

Pro-life Novena for the Unborn

40 Days for Life for unborn

Michael, Michael of the morning
Fresh chord of dawn adorning,
Keep me safe today,
And in time of temptation
Drive the devil away. Amen.

Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel

This prayer was composed by Pope Leo XIII in 1886 and is offered for the private recitation of the faithful in accord with the decree of Inde Ab Aliquot Annis of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, September 29, 1985.

Glorious Prince of the Celestial Host, St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in the conflict which we have to sustain against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the world of darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places (Eph 6:12). Come to the rescue of men whom God has redeemed at a great price from the tyranny of the devil. It is thou whom Holy Church venerates as her guardian and her protector; thou whom the Lord has charged to conduct redeemed souls into heaven. Pray therefore, the God of peace, to subdue Satan beneath our feet, that he may no longer retain men captive nor do injury to the Church. Present our prayers to the Most High, that without delay they may draw His mercy down upon us. Seize "the dragon, the ancient serpent, which is the devil and Satan," bind him and cast him into the bottomless pit…"that he may no longer seduce the nations" (Rev 20:2-3).

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