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HALLOWTIDE; All Souls Day – Part III

November 9, 2008 By Laura 2 Comments

We’ve finally arrived at the last part of our Hallowtide theme – Part III. (You can check out all of the fun we had, in Part I HERE, and Part II HERE.)

Our All Souls Day (Nov 2) began with Sunday morning Mass. We most always go to the last Mass of Sunday mornings, as we did on this day. What a beautiful sight it was walking into the church, with what was left of the vigil candles aglow all over the altar, each burning for each soul of every parishioner who passed away in the last year. Each burning candle had the name of the individual on it, and were meant to be taken home by the families of the lost loved one. We can only imagine how much more spectacular and moving the first mass of the weekend must have been, before any candles had been taken home, by the families they belonged to.

Later in the afternoon, we gathered around our table together, and talked a bit more about the history and purpose of All Souls Day. We also focused a bit more, on the lives and souls closer to home for us; those who have perished, who were a great influence in our life, or made a mark in some way. Those we personally knew in some way, and those who we loved so deeply and dearly, and lost, such as close family. We discussed how as Catholics, we are to pray for the souls of those people, that their souls may be purified and released from purgatory, and into the Kingdom of Heaven.

In that light, we began a new tradition. We created a scroll, listing the names of the souls of those in our lives who we have lost, and beside their name, the year of their death. This includes family and friends, and anyone who had been a significant part of our life or family in some way. This of course required really going back in years, and while we have many names down, many exact years are forgotten and still need to be researched.

This list of souls is part of our seasonal altar (or table) we have. This table area changes with the liturgical year, as well as the earth seasons. The scroll of names/souls we remember, will remain there throughout the month of November, as it is the month to remember and pray for all souls. Each year it will be brought back out in tradition, and sadly, be updated, including the new souls we must pray for. Later, we added the remembrance cards we happened to still have, to the table as well.

Then we got to making dough, for soul cakes. Soul cakes (which are more like hot cross buns) have Christian history in Halloween, and in fact are the root of how ‘trick or treat’ began. In short, these soul cakes were exchanged for prayers by the recipients of the soul cakes, who were mostly beggars and whom went to the doors of the wealthier, for the loved ones lost in the family of the givers. As the saying went:

A soul, a soul, a soul cake.
Please good missus a soul cake.
An apple, a pear, a plum or a cherry,
Any good thing to make us merry.
Up with your kettles and down with your pans
Give us an answer and we’ll be gone
Little Jack, Jack sat on his gate
Crying for butter to butter his cake
One for St. Peter, two for St. Paul,
Three for the man who made us all.

How costume wearing came to be, is also tied into this practice that began long ago, and has interestingly evolved into what it is today.

As Daddy added sprinkles of flour to prevent sticking and to get the dough to a consistency just right to form the soul cakes, the kids mostly took turns kneading the dough….

….but not always…….

Once the soul cakes were done, we enjoyed them nice and hot, with our dinner.

That concludes our Hallowtide festivities report, which in real life, concluded a week ago today! Come back again soon to see what we have in store for our blog about next. As quiet as you all are in the commenting department : ( , we know you are all out there, reading along. ; ) We appreciate your visits.

HALLOWTIDE; All Hallows’ Eve – Part I

November 4, 2008 By Laura 4 Comments

As many of you know, Hallowtide is the 3 days of All Hallows’ Eve (better known as Halloween), All Saints Day, and All Souls Day, carrying us all from the month of October into November. These last few days have been full of festivities, fun, and more education for all us! I’ve mentioned to you all before, just how much our kids love to plan any festivities. I think you’ll truly get the gist of just how much they ‘get into it’, as you visit our blog over the next couple of days. For any celebration we have coming up, our oldest always loves to plan the menu items (as well as do a lot of the cooking and baking), and the little ones might have a say in that menu, lol, make decorations, plan the games, and stuff like that. They are all, always, never short on ideas. They are very enthusiastic party planners, even if it is just for us. But we sure do have a good time!! Suffice it to say, I took loads, and loads, of photos. I have been splitting my computer time between processing them all for family history and blogging, and working! I’ll only be sharing a fraction of them here, but still out of necessity (and sanity), this Hallowtide theme will be split into multiple posts. I hope you all enjoy our ‘little ways’.

The children woke up on All Hallows’ Eve to Daddy’s artwork on the fridge chalkboard (that still makes me smile,) seen below. If you can imagine him, he sat on the floor, drawing and coloring like a child, and having as much fun as one. Just when I thought he was done, he’d pick up another piece of chalk for a little finishing touch here, and then there. Then adding this and that. Truth was, he didn’t WANT to be done. He’s just so cute about these things, and I’m sure you’ll agree he’s quite the sketch artist. It didn’t go unappreciated by the kids in the morning either. No one erased it to do their own thing.

But as excited as the kids were to get to all they had worked so hard on planning, it was still a school day, first. Devotion was dedicated to another more thorough and deeper study of the meaningful and interesting ties of ‘Halloween’ to our Catholic faith. As committed Catholics raising our children in our faith, it’s our obligation to teach how our faith relates to everything, and there is very interesting history to be learned here. We learn more every year! In addition to this, as we follow the Liturgical Year, we acknowledge all of these holy days, with ‘Halloween’ meaning “Holy Eve’ in reference to the eve of All Saints Day, which in turn leads to the observance of All Souls Day. (Just talking, in case anyone doesn’t know these things yet. )

At any rate (as my mother would say), All Hallows’ Eve and All Saints Day was pretty much rolled into one broo-ha-ha for us. We stayed up LATE, carrying on with our antics. Having spent a good amount of time discussing the important meaning of all of the aspects of this seemingly crazy holiday, and how it ALL came about over the course of history, and why,….we then dove right into the silliness of it all.

So here come just some of the photos for Part I of our All Hallows Eve festivities. As we sat gathered at our table, schooling as the morning turned to afternoon, we started paying more and more attention to this menu {A} had set on the window sill beside us,…..

as our bellies began to grumble for lunch:

A bit after lunch and awhile of working for me, I had to run out to a client consult. But when I got home, the kids were all geared up to get the celebration rolling!! They got out shirts/sweatshirts, as did Michael and I, and we all decided what designs we wanted for them. Daddy cut our choices out of vinyl and put them on for us. They were ready to ….

…..eat again of course!

{A}’s Salty Bones! These were so good with jalapeno cheese dip!

Bat Wings!

{S} couldn’t get enough of these things!

And then they made their own ‘Monster Pizzas’.

Here’s {O} just sitting there looking cute, waiting for her pizza to come out of the toaster oven.

Finally, they were cooled down enough to bite into! {J} was happy about that!

It wasn’t long after we ate our ‘main course’ that {A} was in the kitchen again, making us some candy apples. (Here she’s at the stove, melting chocolate in a double boiler.)

She wanted me to take ‘how-to’ photos for you all. So go ahead and make some, and enjoy them yourself!

Michael/Daddy started cutting out cookies, too.Take note of the pumpkin on his shirt, which he was all excited about wearing. (No, I am not being sarcastic. )

That’s FAR from all. The party just got crazier from there, late into the night.

So stay tuned, if you dare……………
Check out the crazy-fun antics in Part II HERE!

A New Crucifix for Our Home

October 17, 2008 By Laura Leave a Comment

We have a new crucifix for our home.

At Mass a couple of weeks ago, there was a guest speaker from Bethlehem. He had 2 tables full of beautiful, hand crafted, religious wooden pieces for sale. He explained to our parish how the families of Bethlehem make these items, as a means to support themselves. Yet it seems that the town of Bethlehem is very poor now, because of a great decline in tourists, which is due to the danger there now, such as war, violence, kidnappings and the persecution of being Christians. He had a very heavy accent, and so we could not understand all of what he said, but it seems people are afraid to travel and visit there these days. So in an effort to bring in more income for the families, they are traveling and selling the items they make.

Honestly, I wanted so very many pieces there. There were all kinds of statues, rosary beads, and this large, glorious nativity set. There was even a wooden star at the peak of the front of the manger, that you wound up to play music. Be still my heart! We need a real nativity set, badly, too. We never really had a place to put a nice one before, but we do now. Frankly, now that our youngest are 6, the Little People Nativity Set we have isn’t cutting it anymore. It served our little ones well, in it’s time though. Unfortunately, the large nativity set I pined after, there on that display table that day, was way out of our budget. Although the price was well worth the value of craftsmanship that went into it.

So, we decided on this crucifix, which we all really love. The craftsmanship is so amazing, and the wood grain in this particular piece really adds to the beauty of it. We do still need to get it blessed.

There has been a crucifix hanging in every home I have ever lived in. Naturally, it is a very poignant symbol of Christian faith, and is meant have a place in every home where strong faith prevails. So this crucifix represents that here in our home as well.

But when I look at this one now, hanging in a place of honor in my home, I am keenly aware of the new feelings I experience in the depths of my soul. Perhaps it is heightened awareness of the reality of just what Christ went through, for us. The way, as we grow older and gain the wisdom that comes with time, something we always knew is embraced in a whole new way-with greater appreciation, gratitude, and the gripping meaning of it all. As we raise our children, and try to do so while teaching them in the light that all things, all actions, all lessons, all of LIFE, revolves around, and are tied, in every single way…our faith. It is all sprung forth from God’s creation, and our purpose, as we live our lives, day by day, here on earth. Seeing this crucifix brings all of those things to mind and heart, in one impactful moment, at the very glimpse of Christ there, on that cross, on our wall.

More than that, it has already served me well in another way. It’s been a reality check for me, when I really, really needed one. A well-deserved slap in the face, if you will. Because there was a day, or maybe 2, that I was having a bad day. And by ‘bad day’, I mean one of those self-absorbed, not getting over-myself kind of days. A day when I felt needless stress, for all I had to get done in that day, and the interruptions (blessings in transparent disguise that day…lol), that hindered me from getting it all done quickly. A day where, in this failing economy, I was feeling I had too much work and obligations, (I know…slap me now), and not enough time or focus to get it all done. So on such a day as this, I once again caught glimpse of this crucifix hanging there. And it served that reality check: “THAT, is a bad day”, I thought, looking at it. I recalled the truth of the matter: Here was the Son of the living God, being called a liar for who He was, being tortured in ways that brought about pain none of us will ever truly understand, and giving up His life, after a slow and merciless death…………..not for Himself. But for US! For all of us. For all of mankind, or at least, for each of us who accept his sacrifice, and embrace salvation in our hearts, minds and souls, and live a life accordingly.

And yet here I was…in a bad mood over, ummm….what again? A to-do list that wasn’t really that long. Certainly not painful. And when I really looked at it honestly, it was all blessings, I chose to see in a selfish light that day. They were all, in the end, for good things for ME, when the purposes come full circle. I mentally complained that day because I was tired (though I slept in a cozy warm bed most of the night). It irked me to see that basket of unfolded laundry, knowing deep inside some people must wear the same dirty rags every day. I groaned because I had so much work to do – which brings in the income to support my family, through the gifts God Himself gave me, and of which is a passion (sometimes of service)I feel in my heart. Because I didn’t feel like taking the time, to prepare meals, forgetting to be grateful for answered prayer when we say “give us this day, or daily bread”.

Shame on me, and I meant it, and felt it, when my eyes landed on that cross.

I live a life focused on gratitude, most days. I try to make a habit of starting each day in prayer ( a few times before noon), and counting our abundant blessings. I know in my heart, and remember 95% of the time, that nothing comes to me, to us as a family, that which is not first through the Father. And I feel, and fear, that when you forget to be grateful, the Good Lord tends to get us back on track with a swift and difficult life lesson, which makes us appreciate what we should, once again. Indeed, ALL GOOD comes through Him. We know this to be true. We have simple needs, as a family. As individuals. Yet we are very, very blessed. I would even go so far as to say, we are rich, really, when you consider what is really of value. He provides for us. He always does. He even gave the life of his own Son, as Christ did for us as well, so that we could have MORE, and eternally. It reminds me of that hymn, Whatsoever You Do. For we also know that what is ours, we must share with those in need.

So I think this cross will be hanging in our home for a long time to come. For all it means, for all it symbolizes, and just in case, for the reality check I may need someday again, when I am wrapped up in ME, and forget momentarily, that I have all I will ever need. I have woken up and smelled the coffee, after my partial day of ridiculous, unjustifiable pity. There is work to be done, which we quite enjoy, because work/income is coming our way, in a time some people can’t find a job, or despise their job, and in a time of a failing economy. There are meals to prepare, because we have food. There is laundry to fold, because we have clothing, and a washing machine in which to clean them. We have a home to clean, because we have a roof over our head. And beautiful, healthy children to tend to, because they are the very existence of our answered prayers, and joy of our life! They are just LOVE, making themselves known, all over the place. And all we need to do is remember to be thankful for such immense blessings, and sincerely follow a few other simple rules, and on top of all that we already have, we can then even enter into the home, of Our Father.

Amen, I say to you, Amen.

The Filming of Our Pilot Episode ‘House+Home’ for CatholicTV / A Behind the Scenes Look

October 3, 2008 By Laura 3 Comments

October 2008 – This past Wednesday was the filming day of our family at our home for the pilot episode of ‘House+Home‘, for CatholicTV. We did it! And what a day it was! In this post we are sharing all of the chaos and behind the scenes happenings of filming day at our house.

To fill you in on the premise of the show, the series of House+Home takes viewers to Catholic family homes. In each episode Fr. Reed visits the family, and learns how they use faith, hope and love to turn their house into a home, and how they as a family, live out their Catholic faith in their daily lives.

Nerves (Big-Time) & Our Incentive

The night before, it started to hit us, what we were about to do. As Michael and I plopped into bed about midnight, the night before, Michael whispered into the dark, “We’re crazy.”….and we both busted out laughing hysterically.

In the first place, we were a bit self conscious about the state of our home, and having it all filmed for tv, as we were still in the process of working very hard on the house and yard after a major renovation. Our home and yard projects were far from done, with much still left undone, and not particularly looking very nice! Not to mention, we were also just personally nervous and somewhat uncomfortable at the idea of being in front of TV cameras. However, we believed in the premise of the show, and hoped our going first would encourage many other families to follow in our footsteps and also share this beautiful faith, and how they too uniquely live it out daily in their own lives. We certainly had personal stories and testaments of our faith to share, and knowing too that it is the love, of Christ and family, that makes a house a home, (and not the projects completed or not) we felt called by God to respond with a ‘yes‘, after Fr. Reed asked our family to be filmed for this pilot episode.

It was also one of those experiences that don’t come along every day (certainly never in our days). What a wonderful and educational experience for the kids, to not only see television production, but be a part of it, and to realize all of the hard work that goes into making a tv show.

Fr. Robert Reed (president of CatholicTV, and host of the show) had filled us in very well in the prior weeks, of exactly what to expect throughout this filming day. There were no surprises. (Well, maybe a few little ones. lol) Somehow, though, when the crew started arriving, setting up all of the equipment, and having little crew huddles talking about their plan and work to be done, we felt the nerves start to set in! But it wasn’t long before we were filming segments, and there was no time to even think about nerves, because we were so focused on what we were saying and doing.

Sharing/Showing What We Can

Of course I took any behind-the-scenes photos I could get in. There aren’t many though, because I was on camera myself most of the time! But here are some behind the scene snapshots I managed to take, to share, and record this day for the kids. I won’t bother telling you about the entire day, because honestly, there’s a lot and I’m not sure I could remember it all. It was many hours of footage. But here’s a preview, and I guess you’ll just have to watch the episode to get the rest!

“Ready, aaaand . . . .ROLL!!!”

The filming started with our guest, and host (and creator, I believe) of the show, Fr. Reed arriving:

We welcomed him to our home, chatted a bit in the sun room, and then we gave him a tour of the house and our studio/work areas.

Interviews

After wards, we all had interviews with Fr. Reed. {A}’s (our oldest daughter) was first, outdoors in our work-in-progress-yard, ‘up in the mountains’, near the huge pile of tree brush and stumps, which is only still there because it is where some of A’s chipmunks live. (She has hand-tamed a large number of chipmunks. See for yourself HERE.) We were all hoping they would come out for {A}, as they always do, but with the crew all around, it wasn’t happening. They were too shy and scared. Earlier though, one of the crew guys did happen to see out the slider door, one of the chipmunks come up on the deck and around our door, waiting for {A} to come out and feed him, though. Anyway, we couldn’t hear {A}’s interview down in the yard, but I did get this shot of them up there filming it. Her interview will be a bit of a surprise for us all.

After that was what they called ‘the triplet interview’, which I had no idea they planned on doing. (Surprise #1) { J, O and S}, did really well. We couldn’t actually hear all of that either, but it looked like it was going really well. We’re anxious to hear what they said. (And can only imagine!) Bet it’s going to be cute!

Us parents had a couple’s interview, as well, also by Fr. Reed, of course. Ours was in the house, and the hardest part for us. We had the big light on us, and it was like a real tv studio interview, with crew guys and equipment all around. But Fr. Reed asked great questions about our faith, how it encourages and sustains us in our lives for us personally, and more. We think it went pretty well. Of course, we started thinking about what we forgot to say, or wish we didn’t say, lol…but no one knows those things. For just regular people here, I think we did pretty well. Ok, I did choke up once, because some questions were linked to emotionally deep stuff for us, but, I got it together. ; ) No photos of us being interviewed, of course, but they filmed it all. It will be edited down, of course.

Cameramen were just all over the place, all of the time. It’s true that you do start getting a little used to it, pretty quickly. Here’s just one of the guys in our unfinished stairwell to the upstairs.

Sharing a Meal Together

We invited Fr. Reed to stay for dinner, as is part of the show (although we were happy to anyway), and made our family recipe/tradition of pizza together in the kitchen. He helped make the dough. : ) When the pizzas came out of the oven, we gathered around the table, and had grace and dinner together, but of course we fed the crew, too! Here (below) they are, minus the photographer (for the CatholicTV Magazine), who left a little early before filming was done. (We wrapped up some pizza to go for him.) Can I just say the whole crew is the NICEST bunch of guys, and were so great to work with! Just great guys. The guy on the left was the producer. It was kind of funny to see the them squirm a little, though, when they found themselves in front of MY camera. I guess THEY prefer to be behind the camera, too! Imagine that! But they kindly obliged. (Thanks guys!!)

Blog Fan in the House!

After dinner, Fr. Reed took the kids to the computer, because apparently he’s a new fan of our blog! (Surprise #2). They talked with him about their photos on it, and some of their adventures and activities, and then they went to CatholicTV.com. The kids are very familiar with CatholicTV, and all of the shows Fr. Reed is on. So they got a kick out of watching it on the computer, with him on it, and yet him also sitting in the computer chair next to them, watching it with them. lol

Our Visit and Filming Ends

We filmed the good-by and end of our visit, with us waving, and Fr. Reed driving off.
But then Fr. Reed came back, off-camera. lol

After filming was done, and the crew was packed up and gone, Fr. Reed gave {A} a little Latin lesson, which he has done virtually every Sunday after Mass at church, for quite awhile. It is he, who inspired {A} to take Latin as a subject this school year (at home), which she is doing very well in. She loves it. So here they are, as he gives her another one of his little lessons.

Exhausted, Wired & Grateful

When Fr. Reed left for real, we were wiped out!! We were relieved we got through it, and it seemed to go so well. (I guess we’ll all see soon enough!)
We really enjoyed the whole process, though. It was just an amazing day we will always remember. Surreal, really. As long and tiring of a day that it was, we are so glad we did it. The kids did so well, all day, and we’re really proud of them. It was a big day for them. We certainly have a new and even greater respect for television production, and all Fr. Reed does at CatholicTV, every day!

Somehow though, the whole day’s experience really gave us a heightened sense of the real family that we are, and how very blessed we are. It also seemed to call for a family photo, via the timer in my camera. : ) After the photo, as tired as were were, we were also wired and had some funny energy to get out. So we all changed into jeans and sneakers, and went to the park (actually, we went to 2!) to run, climb, and even play hopscotch.

The next morning, after devotion, and before a regular schooling day, we asked the kids “What was your very favorite part of the taping day?”. They all just smiled big as they thought and thought, and it was so quiet for a moment. And then {A} said “I don’t know…I mean, the whole day was just totally fun!!”….to which {J, O and S} replied…”Yeah! The whole day was TOTALLY FUN!!“. Indeed it was.

We’ll keep you posted when we know an air date for the show, and when the series begins. Today was another special day, of which we’ll blog about next. Meanwhile, thanks so much, for checking in, and sharing in our experience with us.

The Richard Family
(2008)

Tea Time for Our Lady of Sorrows Feast Day

September 15, 2008 By Laura Leave a Comment

Today is Our Lady of Sorrows Feast Day, so I’m be sharing a little special something I did with the kids, to learn a bit about it, and acknowledge it. Over the weekend, we decided to look around in The Christmas Tree Shops. If you don’t have one of those near you, I feel bad for you. It’s such a great, affordable place, and I always come out with more than I planned on getting. So I try not to go in often. : ) But this time we all went in – and being the season to sell autumn decorations and goods, I had to control myself with every turn. However…..we did let the kids each choose a mini loaf ceramic pan, with the intention of letting them bake some mini loaves on Sunday.

Sunday got away in terms of baking. So then it got pushed to Monday…which is today. This morning, somehow we went way off track of our usual school morning routine. We got into helping the kids put finishing touches on some paper crafts they had started yesterday ( I’ll be blogging about that soon), and then we had to clean up the mess made in a flurry of creativity. By the time we were done, we realized we really needed to get the kids to their schoolwork, so we decided to move family devotion to the afternoon (usually done first in the day). Since we were going to do that, and it was the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, we decided to whip up some Quick Bread first and let the mini loaves bake while we did our school work, and plan on having an afternoon ‘tea’ together, and discuss the Feast Day, after school and lunch.

Boy did the house smell good while school work was getting done. Banana bread – one of our favorites. Soon the timer went off, and it was time for them to come out of the oven and cool for a bit.

The kids we so excited to have their own loaf (not to be eaten ALL at once) that they ate lunch a bit faster.

So we gathered in the sun room for Devotion, and discussion of the Feast Day while having a ‘tea’. We have had a ‘tea’ time a time or 2 before, but it was hot cocoa or something for them in the past. We just called it tea, for the sake of a tea time. But this time they tried some real tea. It was apple cinnamon decaf, and the little ones were pretty excited to try it – even though {A} tried to let them know they may not care for it, since she had tried it before. But she too was willing to try it again. Turns out, she still didn’t like it, 2 others didn’t think they did either. and the last thought it was ‘ok he guessed’. They sipped here and there as we chatted about the Blessed Mother, but not quite like they do hot cocoa. Their own little banana bread loaves, however, they were really enjoying.

For our discussion, first, we asked the kids how many times they could think of off the top of their head, when Mary, the mother of Jesus, might have experienced deep sorrow. Naturally, they all guessed his crucifixion, and death on the cross. {A} also named the time when Mary searched for three days in Jerusalem for her son, who was missing, and later found Him in the temple, teaching. Once they were done throwing out their thoughts, we taught them the 7 times Mary experienced great suffering in her life. We talked quite a bit about it, and how hard many of those times must have been. We can only try and imagine. (And as a mother, I don’t even want to. But I must, to truly begin to appreciate her sacrifice, and reasoning for it.)

It was a lovely tea time, even if the tea itself wasn’t the hit they hoped. There will be others, no doubt. Probably many in the coming cold season. We just leave the table with a warmer feeling inside. Perhaps it’s the tea. Perhaps it’s feeling a bit more in touch with our faith than when we sat. Or maybe it’s just the time together. In any case, we find tea time is good for the soul.

On a somewhat unrelated note, we might mention how Sunday ‘got away’. At some point, either while we were at mass, or picking up lumber at Home Depot, our little friend ‘Webington Ringaling’ broke free in the house…and we still haven’t found him.