Thanksgiving and Stuff

 Marigold (3) drew a picture of herself, comeplete with belly button and stomach. I learned long ago not to question the reasoning of a 3 year old!

 You see, I had bought these frames to put pictures of our children in and no matter how I try, I cannot get decent pictures. I guess they had been up there long enough with "friends from target" sideways long enough so there was much drawing of caricatures portraits.

 When a cat gets in the van for a couple days there is much need of a good scrubbing.  It takes all sorts of concoctions to clean up after cats.  Ewww.

 At the bakery they are now offering filled bismarks!

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During the month of November we remember in a special way the Holy Souls in Purgatory.

And making a gathering, he sent twelve thousand drachms of silver to Jerusalem for sacrifice to be offered for the sins of the dead, thinking well and religiously concerning the resurrection, (For if he had not hoped that they that were slain should rise again, it would have seemed superfluous and vain to pray for the dead,) And because he considered that they who had fallen asleep with godliness, had great grace laid up for them. It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins.2 Maccabees 12:43-46

 A friend of mine's mother, Gloria, was very devoted to the Holy Souls in Purgator passed away... of course... in November.  The Requiem Low Mass was absolutely beautiful.  It was awe-inspiring to listen (and read in English) the beautiful Latin prayers. Over and over constant prayers for the dead woven throughout the Mass. What a beautiful source of Grace of the soul of the deceased!

 Eternal Rest grant unto her, O Lord and let Perpetual Light shine upon her, may she rest in Peace.

 Black vestments and candlesticks with pure beeswax.

 Final prayers and incensing of the body.

 Truly a beautiful Mass, may she rest in Peace!

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 Kili answering the... lemon press.

 The 3 stooges sang (or not) in the prelude for the teacher at our homeschooling group.

 It was a beautiful Traditional Latin Mass.  With beautiful and modest attire for bride and bridesmaids! What a beautiful witness of virtue!

THANKSGIVING!

 I was in a quandary on whether to place the bird upside down but I just couldn't do it, there is nothing tastier than a lovely browned-breasted bird. So I opted for breast-up.  Our secret to the tender juicy bird was to soak it overnight in salt-water brine. Absolutely delicious!

 Thanksgiving week means hunting.

 We started our day with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and then ended up with 2 deer! Deo Gratias!

 Our turkey turned out absolutely delicious!

 Hanging the deer (I know how do we go from bird to hunting... it happens... it's thanksgiving.... that's how it goes.

 We had a lovely array of foods and every last one was tasty and delicious!

 Carving the bird is one of my favorite memories of my father-in-law.  May he rest in Peace.

I love chocolate.

Someone was sleepy when he can fall asleep kneeling against the wood pellets (which were in the middle of the floor.... why?). But I guess Kili in the movie was giving a pillow of walnuts. (?!)

HURRY!

I don't know, but I found this hilarious. It is only November 29th and I received an email flyer from Menards with the title at the top of the page:  "Last Minute Home and Gift Sale!" with a Christmas gift bow next to the words.  I guess perhaps for someone like me who has already pretty much finished Christmas shopping, it might be "last minute" but really?!  This year our shopping tag is "Simplicity".  Or maybe it's because Advent starts today and that reads to most people as "Christmas Season" when, in fact, it is actually the beginning of a penitential season.  We are mixed up these days, aren't we?

Thanksgiving - Feast of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal

 This year Thanksgiving falls on the Feast of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal.

The priest (Fr. Z.) who said the Mass we attended had just been to the chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal last week.  He explained (excuse my poor wording) how Our Blessed Mother has rings on her fingers with rays of light that are all the graces that have been given to people. Some of the rings did not give off light and those are for all the graces we have not asked for.

With I ask that everyone who reads this offer a Hail Mary for a special intention for someone I know who needs a miracle of Graces for conversion, to come back to the Faith.

A most blessed Thanksgiving to you and your families!  On "Taylor Marshall" was a list of 6 Amazing Catholic Thanksgiving Facts. You can read them HERE.  To sum up:
1. Squanto was Catholic!
2. First American Thanksgiving was celebrated on September 8th, Our Blessed Mother's birthday,  in 1565 in St. Augustine, Florida.
3. The second American Thanksgiving was April 30, 1598. Explorer Onate requested the Friars to say a Mass of Thanksgiving then they feasted on duck, goose, and fish.
4. Puritan Pilgrims, strict Calvinists, were anti-Catholic.
5. The same unjust laws that caused the Calvinist Separatists to flee England, were the same injustices that lead to the crown of martrydom for St. Thomas More, St. John Fisher, St. Edmund Campion...
6. "Thanksgiving" in Greek is "Eucharistia". Thus the Body and Blood of Christ is the true "Thanksgiving Meal"

Wherever the Catholic sun doth shine,
There's always laughter and good red wine.
At least I've always found it so.
Benedicamus Domino!
Hilaire Belloc

A most blessed Thanksgiving to all!  A beautiful day to give thanks to God for all the blessings He has bestowed on us.

Very Urgent Prayers

Please pray for my friend's husband Marvin, who is in very serious condition and following surgery will be in ICU. 

Various Goings On This Fall

Would it be harming the joy of a toddler if we created a new rule:  No licking the paddle until one is out of one's pajamas?

 I bought this inexpensive very soft and toasty blanket which the tot claimed for himself... he now has one of his own. After all, if all it takes is a soft blanket to get back to sleep at 2 am... I'm all for it.  It's a Costco blanket and comes highly recommended by both young and old... and everyone in between.

 Frodo is getting the siding on the lean to. He's doing a great job.

 Frodo has a new puppy! She is solid black except for a little tad of white on her chin and back paws.

 She's a darling little keeper.

 While cutting wood a couple weeks ago, a pack (herd? flock?) of flying squirrels come out of the tree. This one didn't survive.

 They probably more rightly should be called gliding squirrels. What a beautiful creature!

 The abominable snow toddler.

 We've got duo-purpose costuming going on. Not only are they preparing for a Medieval play, the girls who are in the children's choir have been given an invitation to a Madrigal Dinner!  The invitation encourages Renaissance costuming if one desires.  Exciting or what?

 I love this picture!

 When some local road construction was completed there was a man fishing along the bank. But the 2nd time I drove by I noticed it was actually a very, very realistic dummy.  Since, of course, someone turned my artificial friend into a block head. What a pity there are people who can't just enjoy the little things of life.

 Blue Belt testing!

 Friends also graduated to purple and orange belts.

 Frodo and a friend-cousin helped with the day.  Higher belts take longer to gain all the necessary stripes.  Congrats to all!

Congrats to Sam who graduated to blue belt in the night (adult) group.  Great job!

 Hunting Season began yesterday.  If I had been a little quicker with the camera, the picture would have included 2 boys walking down the middle of the road with 5 cats following.

While shopping at a local thrift shop I noticed someone was sporting a deer tail (I think) on his antennae.  Odd.

So Many Titles So Little Time

Pre-Black Friday
Prep for Black Friday
Black Friday
Cyber Monday

How many emails have you received? It's enough to give anyone an anxiety attack.  And I don't even go out on Black Friday!  No way, not ever, no thank you! So my goal this year was to have all my Christmas gift shopping done before Advent, then I changed it to before Thanksgiving.... or perhaps I should say, "Before Black Friday."  I think I might make a t-shirt that says "I survived Christmas without shopping on Black Friday!" Of course, it probably won't be a get-rich-quick scheme as there are probably only 5 people who don't shop on Black Friday.

Surgery Prayers

Please pray for my mom who is having out-patient surgery to remove a small tumor on Monday, Nov 17th.

Prayers Please

Please pray for some friends of ours who need some prayers right now.  Thanks so much!

All Saints' Day & All Souls' Day

All Saints' Day

The Feast of All Saints' Day on November 1st commemorates the Communion of Saints:  The Church Triumphant: those souls have are living in perfect union with God in Heaven, The Church Suffering: those souls who are suffering in Purgatory to cleanse their souls with hellfire with the hope of one day joining the perfected souls in Heaven, The Church Militant:  those souls on earth living in the state of Sanctifying Grace who are in their battle against sin.

 We celebrated with a big breakfast of martyrdom pancakes (pink pancakes with cooked strawberries) and St. Lawrence sausages.

 We see here that Pippin is putting our hard earned karate money to good use in trying to cut the roll of paper in 1/2 "hi-ya!"

 Later we went to an All Saints' Day party. Marigold dressed up as St. Kateri Tekakwitha.

 Poppy was St. Lucy, as usual, those were her eyes on the plate (though with the strap that looks like a nose it looks a bit like Elmo)

 Bilbo was St. George. Merry was St. Philip Neri and Pippin was St. Benedict.

 Lots of fun games and goodies.

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All Souls' Day

 It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins.
2 Maccabees 11:46

On All Souls' Day we remember the souls suffering in Purgatory. They suffer the purging hellfire of intense suffering. Purgatory is the cleansing place for those who died with venial sin on their souls or those who have not fully made restitution for any sins committed. It is not enough to just confess one's sins, one must also do penance for the forgiven sins.

 We were blessed to attend a Pontifical Requiem Mass for All Souls' Day.

 The black "coffin" is a sarcophagus, adorned with a black requiem pall and surrounded by pure beeswax candles.  The magenta biretta is for the bishops and the black is for the priests. This Mass was offered for the deceased bishops and priests of our diocese.

 Frodo served as mitre bearer.

 Sam served as book bearer.

 The choir was absolutely beautiful.

 Every year our homeschooling group meets at the cemetery to pray for the dead.

We stopped at my father-in-law's grave site to pray for his soul.

Prayer for the Holy Souls in Purgatory
Our Lord told St. Gertrude that this prayer would release 1,000 souls from Purgatory each time it was said.
Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal Church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen.