Back in 2013, I was at the park with my good friend Melinda, and we were talking about ways to celebrate Advent and bring more faith – and less commercialism -to Christmas. We decided to get together, and make some Jesse Tree ornaments – it was a wonderful chance to share a cup of tea, sew, and share faith. Today, I’m honored…
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ACTIVITY: Jesse Tree Ornament – Three Maji & Star of Bethlehem
23rd Day of Advent: the Three Maji follow the Star of Bethlehem Matthew 2:1-12 Return to the main Jesse Tree page. WHAT YOU NEED: felt in blue and yellow (I recommend getting a variety pack) embroidery floss in blue and yellow (I recommend DMC variety pack) embroidery needles (you’ll need ones with a large needle eye) stuffing scissors tracing paper or…
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ACTIVITY: Photo Lilies for Mother’s Day
I had been wanting to do this project for some time now, and Mother’s Day is the perfect occasion. I had seen paper lilies like these at the local elementary school, and thought – how fun to make them out of photographs! This way mom (or you!) will have beautiful flowers that last forever and provide lasting memories for many…
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Pentecost: The Difference in Bible Translations
Source Whether it’s the King James, New American Standard, Common English, English Standard, or another translation/version, we’re all reading the same Bible, right? …right? Maybe not. I recently preparing the end-of-mass announcements for an upcoming workshop at our parish, where we will be making these adorable Flaming Pentecost Cupcakes. As usual, I sent the wording of the announcement to…
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Bible Study: Reading the Bible as a Family
We really do believe that a family that prays together stays together! Hubby and I are working our way through the Bible’s “one year” reading plan, along with various bible study programs, and what may spring our interest at the moment (so basically…we’re all over the place!). Our readings, with thoughts & input, are shared below. We’ll continue to add as…
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Book Review: The Story
At the start of the new year, my hubby and I decided that – each night – we’d set aside some time to read the Bible together. Days 1 and 2 we did great. We missed day 3, and got back to it day 4. Day 5 and 6 were a miss…and we’ve been on and off since then. We…
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RECIPE: Pentecost Flaming Cupcakes
Celebrating Holy Days with praise and worship is a given…and bringing that celebration home (and not just leaving it in the church parking lot as you leave after mass) is just as important as attending the Holy Day celebration. A great way to bring that celebration home for Pentecost is to bring the fire of the Holy Spirit right into…
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RECIPE: Deviled Easter Eggs
There’s no denying it…dying eggs is just a part of Easter. Knowing a bit about their history – and that they have long been a part of celebrations – makes it all the more fun. The inevitable side of dying eggs is you end up with lots of hard boiled eggs. Deviled eggs are a great way to use up…
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Easter Symbols – and where the egg came from!
Ask anyone what they think of when they think of Easter, and you’ll probably get answers like, “Easter bunny”, “Easter basket”, “bonnets”, “eggs”, and “candy”. …but did you ever wonder how (or when) these symbols became the top-of-mind answer for so many people, both Christian and non-Christian alike? …and where do things like: “empty tomb“, “resurrection”, and “died for our…
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RECIPE: Lent & Homemade Pretzels Recipe
Making pretzels is a great way to celebrate Lent – did you know they were a traditional food many years ago often prepared during the Lenten season? Learn how to make your own – and other activities – in our Family Activities for Lent and Easter book!
What Makes Holy Thursday So Beautiful
Holy Thursday, commonly known as Maundy Thursday, is the start to the Triduum leading up to Easter Sunday. While not a Holy Day of Obligation, the Mass of the Lord’s Supper is a beautiful mass celebrating the last meal Christ had with his disciples before he was arrested and crucified. The solemn feel to the mass is in a stark…
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RECIPE: Create a Butter Lamb for Easter Brunch
A wonderful Easter tradition – most commonly found in Eastern European families – is the addition of a butter lamb to the Easter table. These lambs are so fun, and so adorable, and make a great conversation (and education!) piece. Lambs are also a great symbol of Easter, and will help to balance out all the bunnies and eggs. The…
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RECIPE: Saint Patrick’s Day Cupcakes
Clearly I was in a baking mood today – not only did we take these adorable Saint Patrick’s Day shamrock cupcakes to the Fish Fry at church, but we also brought a rainbow Saint Patrick’s Day cake – complete with pots of gold! – that I made. The spirit of Saint Patrick was definitely filling the kitchen today…and so was the sweet…
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RECIPE: Saint Patrick’s Day Rainbow Cake
Yes, this cake is a bit more on the commercial side than the Catholic side, but what’s not to love about edible rainbows that end in pots of gold? (For more faith-filled activities, check out all the Saints Activities for Saint Patrick.) This was such a fun cake to design and create, and it was super easy. Super yummy, too!…
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ACTIVITY: Tomb and Boulder “Stained Glass” for Good Friday thru Easter
Easter week – or Triduum – is always so busy for everyone. These next few projects we’ll be doing together are to help prepare for that amazing week both mentally (as we study the readings on why we do these projects) and physically (as we make some great crafts that can be brought out to celebrate during Triduum and on Easter Sunday)….
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