A Potluck Post

What a week this has been! It's crazy how some times it feels like life is going at full speed and we are hustling from one thing to the next only to run into a long, slow pause in the day where grogginess and boredom seep in. 

The slow pauses aren't all bad, though. They are were I have been finding time to read. My current book stack looks like this:

I've been enjoying A Wind in the Door which was given to me by a teacher friend who was purging her classroom bookshelves. 

I read an older edition of Queen Bees and Wannabes a couple years ago but decided to go ahead and get the newest edition for my own bookshelf. This is the book that inspired Tina Fey to write Mean Girls and I have found it very helpful already. 

I haven't started Loved as I Am but a friend dropped it off for me yesterday and I'm looking forward to jumping in since I love Sr. Miriam James' podcast. 

Finally, Living Your Strengths - The Catholic Edition has been an interesting read! The test says my top five are Belief, Connectedness, Developer, Activator, and Adaptability but I know the last one is dead wrong. I didn't understand some of the questions and so answered them... well not in the truest sense of what they were getting at. I think my #5 might actually be Includer but I haven't finished the book yet so maybe something else will ring more true. If you've read the book and taken the test tell me what your Top Five are. 

(PS - All of these books can be found at your local library or here.) 

Speaking of books...

We are still making our way through the Harry Potter books. Well, L could not wait for us to listen to them - she had to know! - and she finished the 7th book yesterday. Ben is actively listening to the audio books and is on the 5th one. Occassionally the other kids will listen with him, and I often try to when I can (causing me to fall far behind in podcast-listening), but mostly it's Ben. When he's done we will allow Ben and L to watch The Order of the Phoenix movie. JF, who has been having nightmares about "spooky castles," and the younger kids will not be allowed to watch until they are older and have read / listened to the books. I know there's a lot of people who don't like Harry Potter, and I totally understand and respect that stance, but I have loved those books and characters for so long and it's been such a joy to share them with my kids and to really talk about the themes, plots, humor, and such with them.

We've had really fun family movie nights with the first four movies. We even made "wands" as a snack. I dipped the pretzel rods in melted chocolate (Enjoy Life! brand chocolate chips + a bit of Earth Balance "butter" + some coconut milk) and then let the kids add whatever toppings they wanted. It was fun and all the kids enjoyed the added treat to the normal popcorn.


On the 4th of July we went to my in-laws home for their small town's celebration. It was so flippin' hot but we still went to the park and watched the parade. I came home with the two little ones but Travis and the five older kids stayed for fireworks, which were fabulous - or so the kids said.

Earlier this week L went back to the cardiologist to have a one-year follow up appointment. Her echo looked good, she looked good, everything looked good. Interesting fact: before her open heart surgery a year ago L was in the 65th percentile for height and the 35th percentile for weight. Now that her heart is not working triply hard she is in the 63rd percentile for height and weight. Isn't that amazing?!

Oh! One more thing before I forget - right now shipping is free for all the items in the Blessed Is She shop! This deal ends on Sunday and  if you haven't purchased a planner yet but were wanting to this is the best deal you're gonna get! My affiliate link is right here - thank you so much for using it!

So that's that - everything I wanted to get out of my head and down "on paper." I love these little potluck posts where there's a little of this and a little of that and mostly it's just the best parts of my life showing up. You know, like a potluck. 

Have a good weekend friends. xo

Starting Right Here: A Happy New Year

Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash
Lyrics from JJ Heller's This Year

It's negative one outside with a windchill of negative 17. I'm wearing my slipper boots and cardi and drinking warm tea with honey cause baby, it's cold outside! And this post may be a heavy dose of navel gazing but my fingers want to type and I want to write this out and so I hope you don't mind sitting with me through this.

(Here's hoping my kids will play by themselves long enough to let me do it!)

Thirteen months ago started a really, really rough time for me. Sickness, death, grief, hard parenting, open heart surgery for L, and major surgery for me. Months and months of hard but I remember holding my sweet newborn while recovering from my second c-section and thinking to myself, "It's all done. We're through the thick of it." And especially as the school year started and a routine was established I saw us all thrive and I felt like it was really true. In my prayer I felt this
 p e a c e  like an exhale and I repeatedly had this image of a clearing in the woods. The woods, dense and dark and scary, were behind me and in the distance there were more woods, though not has thick or scary. But I was standing in an open field with tall green grass and sweet flowers.

In September I attended the Blessed Is She writers' retreat and there the fabulous Beth Davis was praying over me. She said, "Bonnie, I don't know if this will mean anything to you but I just see this huge field of wildflowers for you" and BAM: ugly cry. There it was from someone else - the same Holy Spirit showing the same promise for me to both of us. I will readily admit, I was overwhelmingly relieved.

It was at that same retreat, though, that Travis called me to let me know that he was at the emergency room because he was experiencing loss of balance, numbness, and other signs of a stroke. The ER doctor thought it was actually his body reacting to stress and exhaustion (football season + seven kids + hard work around home) and I wasn't scared. Because that field of wildflowers was as good as Noah's rainbow.

I came home from the retreat and there were more tests for Travis. Our family doctor suspected that Travis had MS which was showing itself because of exhaustion and stress but I held out hope. In the end all the neurological issues went away with allergy medicine and sleep. Seriously. And the words from Isaiah rang so true in my heart, "God indeed is my Savior. I am confident and unafraid."

Halloween and Thanksgiving and Advent came and went. Our family was healthy and happy with the kids growing and learning and things going well. A clearing in the woods, filled with thriving wildflowers.

And as the New Year approached people started talking about adopting a saint and a word of the year. I've never done the word of the year thing before because, well, I thought it was weird, but as the conversations began I remembered that St. John Paul the Great was the saint appointed to me by Jennifer Fulwiler's saint generator last year. Back then I thought, "Oh yeah! He's great! What wonderful, evangilistic things will come my way?" but now I see that he probably wanted to walk with me through all that suffering and I had, for the most part, forgotten about him. Stupid me.

But this year I am paying attention. I have this feeling that God is calling me to do beautiful work for Him in the hidden, quiet, normal of my home and daily life as wife and mom. St. Cecilia was the saint given to me this year and I think she wants to show me how to live so that my heart is always glorifying God.

And this year I decided to try the whole word of the year thing and as I prayed about it, at home and Mass and adoration, I kept coming back to the word "be." It isn't flashy, in fact it seems to reinforce the hidden and quiet that I already mentioned. And then (!) the word that was randomly chosen for me from Jen's word of the year generator was BLOSSOM. It's different than thrive, you know, which seems to have to do with *doing* whereas blossom seems to be about *being.* Just do what you do, be who you are meant to be and you will blossom... in a a field of wildflowers... in a clearing in the woods.

There is a peace in heart and a hope in my Lord and I know that whatever happens God is good.

You can find your saint here.
Have a word of the year picked here.

A Head Cold of Jane Austen Proportions (+ what we've been doing in the radio silence)

I owe a very sincere apology to Jane Austen. When Jane Bennet caught cold and had to stay at Netherfield for several days I thought it was ridiculous. I mean, it's a cold. Likewise, when Harriet Smith caught cold and had to stay in bed for days I thought that was also ridiculous. 

But then in mid-December I got sick. I got really, really, really sick with a cold of Jane Austen proportions. 

The last week of school before Christmas break Ben came down with something. He slept 20 hours a day and barely ate anything. One by one all six of my kids fell ill and when Baby Tee was also sick I took him to the doctor. Strep throat for the baby and so everyone got antibiotics. By the time the kids were starting to feel better my throat was starting to hurt, I had a congested headache and a cough. 

And for over four weeks I would cough and sleep and lay around. I would start to feel better and then crash with more coughing, sleeping, and laying around. Often I would wish that *I* was at Netherfield with a household staff to cook, clean, and care for the children while I laid in bed and got better. (Alright, honestly, I often have that wish even when I'm healthy.)

It wasn't strep; it wasn't bronchitis; and while I thought it had turned into walking pneumonia and was even treated for it with some antibiotics I think, in the end, it was just a super duper, really bad cold - just like the prompt care doctor told me. Five weeks later I am still occasionally coughing but I finally feel fairly caught up with life. 

There were a lot of really good things that happened in those five weeks, especially in December, and I wanted to share some of the highlights. 

St. Nick brought a gingerbread village for the kids to assemble and decorate. 

Travis was able to finish and hang my shelves. They are made from the wood of an oak tree that stood in my maternal grandfather's yard. We kept the bark on them and glossed them up. This is pretty much the first and only time where how I imagined a finished project looking is how the finished project actually looks. And I loooooove it!

The little Fiat sign is from JustLovePrints.

So Fresh & So Clean Clean print from Brick House in the City.

On Christmas morning we put on our finest, went to the 7am Mass, and tried to get a good family photo. This is as good as it gets, and yes, there is a hideous mural on the back wall of my parish. I dream of whitewashing it. 

My parents, my uncle, and my paternal grandfather came over to watch the kids open their gifts and to eat homemade sausage bread and cinnamon rolls, bacon, and coffee. Behold: the only picture I took:

Five days later we celebrated Baby Tee's first birthday and our tenth anniversary with a party. Our parents, siblings, and friends were invited and so I set out a yummy spread, decorated with fresh greens and items used in our wedding reception, and...

put on my new favorite outfit and (a rare thing these days) make-up.

L, my 8 year old, was pursuing her Cake Making badge in American Heritage Girls and so she spent the day with her aunt, a professional baker, and designed and baked the anniversary cake for us...

And the birthday cupcakes for Tee.

 We were married on my paternal grandfather's 80th birthday so along with Tee's 1st, we celebrated Grandpa's 90th. L made him a special cupcake and everyone sang Happy Birthday to him.

Fortunately I was feeling fairly well for Christmas and our anniversary but right after each I crashed again. Instead of doing an Advent Calendar I like to celebrate the Twelve Days of Christmas but this year the only thing I was able to do was make and decorate Christmas cookies and that was only because my mom came over to help. Oh well.

If you're looking for a good gingerbread cookie recipe Mary's from Better Than Eden is the best I've ever had. Follow her tip and save them for the next day. I don't know why, but they are so much better Day Two. And that St. Nick cookie cutter came from Catholic Curio, in case you were wondering.

 And if you're looking for a good something to watch, well I have been busy with all my laying around.

Amazon Prime: Mr. Holmes, the BBC's Emma, Grantchester, Endevour, and the Matt Smith Doctor Who episodes all kept me company.

Netflix: Spotlight, Sherlock, The Crown, A Royal Night Out, Death Comes to Pemberly, Madame Secretary, The Imitation Game, The Returned, and E.T. have also been good distractions.

Gosh, I look like such a bum, don't I?

I'll leave you with my current favorite song, a reward of sorts for making to the end of this post.

Alex da Kid's Not Easy

Stay healthy, you guys. Oh man, stay healthy.

So, how ya been?

I thought we'd catch up and chat about how things have been going. 

Clementines are in season, of course, and we go through at least one bag a week here because all the kids like them and I love them. Clementines mean winter to me, winter and cute little fingers peeling, peeling, peeling.

I got the outside decorations mostly up, but I realized Mary and Joseph need new lightbulbs. Commence search. Eventually I will cut some greens to fill the flower pots by the Holy Family and to fill the basket that sits at my front door. But I'm happy with what we've got. The kids looooove the train and I feel ridiculously proud of myself for figuring out its set-up.

I don't have Advent candles for our wreath yet, just a little votive candle sitting where the first week's purple taper should go. I'm reading Isaiah right now in my Bible but I'm finding my prayer time so dry.  Those two facts seem to compliment each other, at least in my mind.


I'm figuring out how we'll do the feast days this season and I'm thinking it will look like this:
Christmas lights and music (we usually keep these off until Gaudete Sunday)
Hot chocolate + candy canes + clementines for after-school snacks
St. Nicholas on the 6th: stockings will be filled when the kids wake in the morning and maybe we'll eat Shepherd's Pie for dinner because we all love it, not because it has anything to do with St. Nick.
Immaculate Conception on the 8th: chicken + pasta + cauliflower + canned pears + white frosted sugar cookies for dessert (it's all white, get it?)
Fulton Sheen on the 9th: homemade pizza with meat and pineapple (for me) but no cheese (it's surprisingly good!)
Our Lady of Guadalupe on the 12: tacos or maybe enchiladas if I can find a good dairy-free recipe (is that possible? Is my gringa showing?)
St. Lucy on the 13th: Brinner!  Santa Lucia roll recipe Grace shared on the blog several years back + bacon + sausage + fruit
The kids' school break starts on the 16th and the feast days stop so we'll see how this all goes.


Today I wanted thumbprint cookies, though Jofis wanted chocolate chip cookies incredibly badly. I told him that we should make the thumbprint cookies, though, because we could frost them with purple Advent frosting and that would be super special. He was half convinced but then he got to lick the beater, roll the dough, smoosh his thumb in the dough balls, and eat frosting. So he stopped complaining.

We're listening to Advent music around here, but not too much of it. I have a playlist (o'er there in the sidebar) but I'm also trying to have silence in the house. Gee golly, it's nice.

I will share one success, if you will allow me to. This year we're doing the Jesse Tree and it finally feels good - like they're getting it. The three oldest kids all have Religion in school and they are learning so much. It's good to see that what we've been trying to do for years is being nurtured at school and then they come home and we can continue to build on it. This relates to the Jesse Tree in that each night I read from the booklet that came with our set. I do this sort of read + ask questions so the kids tell the story + summarize the Scripture and then the child of the night finds the ornament that goes with the Scripture.  It's like, this is what it's supposed to be! And it only took 6 years!


Finally, Likable Art shared this new video they made for Life Teen and I thought it was so beautiful.



What about you? Got any successes or struggles to share? How's life treating you?

The Advent Care Package Giveaway

Update: The giveaway is now officially closed. The winners have been emailed and have 24 hours to respond. Thanks to everyone for playing along. I hope you all had fun and got some great shopping ideas for your loved ones. Please do use this as a gift guide and be sure to tell the makers and sellers that you found them through A Knotted Life!


Welcome to the 2016 Advent Care Package Giveaway. Over thirty amazingly talented artists, crafters, and vendors have donated gifts which have a combined value of over $1000. (!!!)

This is all for you, dear blog readers, and I sincerely hope you love it.

Two winners will be chosen and each will receive a Care Package worth over $500. The winners can keep every blessed thing for themselves or they can divvy everything up, put up their feet, and call their Christmas shopping done.

There is something for everyone. Books for children and adults, jewelry, and skin care products. Practical gifts like an apron, a planner, notecards, and beard balm. Fun gifts like dolls, cd's, and an Advent Mass Box craft kit subscription. Some are religious, some are not. All of it is beautiful, much of it is handmade, and every item is gleefully special.

To round things off, and to hopefully make your Advent a bit easier, I'm going to throw in chocolate coins for your St. Nick tradition. Hope it helps!

So here's how this works:

Each gift is listed with links to where you can buy the product or see more items by the same person. I give an honest mini summary of each product and I link to the item's image on my Instagram account, where I have shared (and continue to share) each individually with a little review.

I know a lot of you will use this as a gift guide and so I'm really happy that several of the makers and vendors have included coupon codes for you to use. The discount information is always the last thing listed under each item so that it is easy for you to find. Also, if you could do me a favor: if you buy something included in this giveaway will you please let the seller know that you learned about their item from my blog / giveaway? That kind of feedback is powerful and will mean I can do this again next year. Thanks!

Hopefully you've been following along on Instagram and the A Knotted Life Facebook page as I have highlighted each item with the hashtag #adventgiveawayAKL. If you click on the hashtag you can see more details of each gift.

Directions and fine print stuff: You'll enter using the Raffelcopter entry form below and all I'm asking for is one simple blog comment. One entry per person. All Amazon links are affiliate links for me, meaning I earn a small commission through my referral at no cost to you. Open only to people 18 or older and those living in the continental United States. (Sorry everyone else, my budget just can't afford the shipping!) The winners will be picked at random by Rafflecopter. After the winners are announced they will have 24 hours to provide me with their mailing addresses and if they do not they forfeit the win and a new winner will be drawn. The giveaway closes on Wednesday, November 16th.

Okay, let's get going, shall we?!

10 Tips for a Happy Life Pope Francis quote prints + Christmas car magnets from Just Love Prints
The prints are 5"x 7" and made with amazing color. The magnets are lovely, with great illustrations. Beautiful.
Buy the print here
Buy the Wise Men Still Seek Him magnet here
Buy the Keep Christ in Christmas magnet here
Read my review here
Coupon Code JUSTLOVE10 good through Christmas


Gaudete Sunday Pink Infinity Scarf + Handstamped Christmas Cards by Katie
Be liturgically correct on the third Sunday of Advent with the pink scarf and impress all (or four) of your friends with these gorgeous hand-stamped Christmas cards. Gorgeous.
Katie's blog: Look to Him and Be Radiant
Follow Katie on IG here
Read my review of the scarf here and the cards here


Advent Charm Bracelet from Faith and Fabric by Jen Frost
Delicate, pretty, hand-stamped with Advent colors. Made from aluminum for sensitive skin. It's charming!
Buy the charm bracelet here
Faith and Fabric Etsy Shop
Jen's website: Faith and Fabric
See the bracelet in detail and read more about it here


Advent Purple LuLaRoe Leggings from Megan Stevenart
Be comfortable, stylish, cute, and liturgically appropriate! You know I love me some LuLaRoe!
Shop Megan's pop-ups
Read my review of LuLaRoe here
See more about the leggings here


Christmas Prints from Printable Prayers by Kendra Tierney
These prints are thick and sturdy, bold and colorful. One is sassy, one is classy, and one is a gorgeous prayer. So much to love.
Printable Prayers Etsy Store
Kendra's blog: Catholic All Year
O Come O Come Emmanuel print
Christmas Anticipation Prayer print
You Better Not Cry print
Read more about the prints here


Africa Sleeps Holiday Gift Set by Karen H
The Holiday Set includes body wash, lip balm, and exfoliating gloves and it smells amazing. All Africa Sleeps products are made from organic, fair trade ingredients. The products are made for children of African heritage but are great for anyone with dry skin.
Africa Sleeps website
Buy the Holiday Set here
Read more about it here


Liturgical Prints from Hatch Prints by Katrina Harrington
Gorgeous, colorful, and high quality. These prints are perfect for enhancing the liturgical decorations in a home and setting a tone of peace and joy.
Shop Hatch Prints here
Advent Candle with Josemaria Escriva quote
Christmas Joy B16 quote
Pause in Silence B16 quote
See all three and read more about them here


The Catholic Woman's Companion Planner by Nancy B
Planner comes with it all: monthly calendars, weekly pages, grocery lists and meal planning, coloring pages!, student / child info, and more! A great resource for a busy mom.
Nancy's blog + website: Do Small Things with Love
Buy the planner here
Read more about the planner here

Breathe doTERRA Roller from Sarah Williams
The Breathe Roller is perfect for adding a little bit of calm to your personal space. It's pre-diluted and perfect for helping with winter's respiratory issues.
Sarah's doTERRA site
Contact Sarah 
Get in touch with Sarah on Facebook
Read my review here

Crocheted Baskets by Theresa B
These baskets are soft, sturdy, and incredibly handsome. My eight year old and I both have heart eye emojis for days.
Buy the baskets here
Theresa's blog: Ordinary Lovely
Read more about the baskets and see them closer here
Coupon Code AKLREADERS10 good until December 1st.


Divine Mercy and Sacred Heart prints from Thomas Valle Studio
These prints literally took my breath away, they are so gorgeous. The Divine Mercy and Sacred Heart prints are both from original artwork by Thomas Valle.
Buy prints here
Read more about the prints and see them better here


Handmade Necklace + Earring Set and Bracelet + Earring Set from Annery's Handmade by Annie
Both sets of jewelry are inspired by chain-mail - so think St. Joan of Arc. They are incredibly beautiful and both delicate and statement pieces. Lovely.
Buy religious jewelry, rosary roses, and more here
Follow Annie on Instagram
See a close-up of the jewelry and read more about them here


Handmade Leather Bound Journal by Wild Things Adventures
This journal is made from soft leather, and thick, cream-colored paper. It is completely unique and the perfect gift for an artist, adventurer, dreamer, or Middle Earth lover.
Buy a journal here
Sarah's blog: Wild Things Farm
Read more about the journal here


Glory to the Newborn King Girl's Hairbow by Polka Dot Bowlevard
We own several of these bows and they are well made and beautiful. This particular bow is sparkly and sweet and lovely. Navy, white, and gold - a perfect way to top off a little girl's Christmas outfit.
Buy a bow, key fob, or non-slip hairband here
Check out Polka Dot Bowlevard on Facebook
Read more about the bow and see a close up here


She Be Fierce and All for You Necklaces by Signs of Love from Rakstar Designs
Each necklace is handmade, on a long chain, and absolutely stunning. She Be Fierce includes a St. Joan of Arc medal and All for You includes a St. Teresa of Calcutta medal along with various charms related to each saint.
Shop the Signs of Love Etsy Store
Buy the She Be Fierce Joan of Arc Necklace
Buy the All for You Teresa of Calcutta Necklace 
See more of Rakstar Designs on Instagram
See close ups of both necklaces and read more about them here
Coupon code of KNOTTYXMAS16 good for 15% off a purchase of $30 or more

The Bethlehem Collection Dolls by Fitz Knitz
These dolls are adorable and the apple of my four year old's eye. Joseph's body stands about 10" and is made from a deep brown yarn and the Baby Jesus is securely attached to Mary's arm. Soft, cuddly, big enough to love and small enough to fit in a stocking.
Contact Rachael directly at [email protected]
Buy a hat, doll set, or mermaid blanket here
Read my review here
Coupon Code: KNOTTED10 - 10% off a purchase of $25 or more, expires 11/30/16


Catholic Beard Balm, Beard Brush, and Bottle Opener from Catholic Balm Co.
The Beard Balm is St. Joseph scented - a mix of cedar, frankenscense, and the lightest hint of rose - and will go to one lucky winner. The other winner will get the handsome and useful beardvangelization bottle opener and beard brush, with its wooden handle and manly wooden case (okay, I wanted to say adorable. How about super neat? Let's stick with manly.)
Buy balms, brushes, lip gloss, and more here
Read my review here


The Gospels of Luke and John from Sacred Art Series
This leather bound book includes the Gospels of St. Luke and St. John along with beautiful, full-colored illustrations from the classics. Gorgeous.
Sacred Art Series website
Buy the Gospels here
The the book and read more about it here
This book is discounted by 20% on Amazon just for the duration of this giveaway!


O Emmanuel Christmas album by JJ Wright from Dynamic Catholic
This Christmas album is unlike anything I've ever heard before - and I like it! Think of the jazz music from Charlie Brown Christmas and then combine that with lush, heavenly high church choral music. Interesting and beautiful.
Buy the album here
Learn more about JJ Wright here
Check out Dynamic Catholic here
Read more about the album here


Juniper Headbands from Christine Coots by Trades of Hope
Handmade in India, empowering women around the world. These are beautiful and a great way to dress up a messy bun.
Buy the headbands here
Shop Trades of Hope here
Follow Christine's Trades of Hope Facebook page
Read my review here

But First, Coffee Mug from Be a Heart Design by Erica Tighe
White and navy with black calligraphy that reads "But first coffee." Big to fit your coffee and metal so no one can break your favorite mug. It's hip and classic.
Be a Heart website
Get the mug here
Follow Erica on Instagram
See the mug up close and read more about it here


Chime Travelers Books 1-5 by Lisa Hendey
These chapter books are great for first-third graders to jump into. Great stories, great saints, likable characters, sweet illustrations. Whoever the winner is: my kids are jealous of your kids.
Lisa's website
Buy any of Lisa's great books here
PS - Lisa's O Radiant Dawn book is what my family uses with our Advent Wreath at dinner each night and it's only $1.25.
Read my review here

Liturgical Apron from Uphill Goods by Megan Whitmore
The apron is two-sided and made with beautiful fabrics and sturdy seams. The apron is approximately 29" long from top to bottom, 25" wide at its widest, and will fit up to a 45" waist / chest with its ties.
Design your own apron or buy a pre-made one here
Read more about the apron here


The Bernadette Book Series 1-3 by Emily Grace Ortega
We love these books in our family! Great for readers in grades 1-3. These stories focus on the children in a loving, realistic Catholic family and are well written with the sweetest illustrations.
Buy the Bernadette Books here or on Amazon
Read my review for I'm Bernadette,  See more about all three books here


Advent Mass Box Subscription
Four weeks of crafts based on the Sunday Mass readings. A great way to interact with your kids to emphasize the liturgical season, Mass, Scripture, and the domestic church.
Buy your subscription of the Mass Box here.
Use the coupon code ADVENT10 for 10% off the December Mass Box subscription.
Read my review here


Lilla Rose Hair Clip from Mandi Richards
Pretty and practical, these clips are great for putting your hair up and looking beautiful. I use mine all the time.
Shop Mandi's Lila Rose site
Read about how much I love these things here
See the clip and read more about it here


Sacred and Immaculate Hearts Hand Painted Wooden Signs by Honeychild Forest
Each sign is handpainted, completely unique, and the perfect mix of whimsy, reverence, and beauty. These are going on my Christmas wishlist.
Shop Honeychild Forest
Read more about the signs here


Catholic Mom Challenge by Sterling Jaquith
Sterling is one of my favorite Catholic speakers and her book is filled with the same wit and wisdom as her talks. This book has practical tips for "striving for sainthood in everyday mom life" delivered in a personable, easy-to-read style.
Buy the book here
Sterling's website
Sterling's podcast, Coffee and Pearls
Read more about the book here

Advent Rosary by Ave Maria Faithcrafts
The Our Father beads have little Infant Christs and the Salve bead has a beautiful depiction of the Holy Family. The other beads are a rich, Advent purple color and the whole rosary is amazing. It's a great weight, too.
Buy a rosary or jewelry here
Check out the Facebook page
Follow on Instagram
See a close up and read more about it here


Meditations 01 by Reverb Culture
The first book of a four set series that walks its readers through thirty days of meditating on the Creed using Scripture and the Catechism. Wonderful for teens and adults, men and women.
Buy the book here
Check out the website
Read more about the book here


Watercolor Hedgehog notecards, 4 pack by Pebble Creek Prints
Super cute and high quality. These are incredibly versatile and incredibly sweet.
Rachel's blog: Efficient Momma
Buy the notecards here
See a close up and read more here
Coupon Code BONNIE good for free shipping in the US, good until November 30th


Receiving Blanket backed in Organic Flannel from Whole Parenting Goods
High quality, beautiful fabric, backed with organic flannel. This receiving blanket is perfect for keeping a little warm and has the sweetest scalloped seam.
Buy the blankets, bibs, and leggings here
Follow Nell and WPG on Instagram 
Read my review here

FYI: I've been getting some emails and messages about comments not showing up. Don't worry. I will trust you that you comment and have even seen some of the ones I've been emailed about. The important thing is that you successfully complete the Rafflecopter form below. I will pick the winner and have your contact info through the form so as long as that takes we'll be good to go!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Good luck and God bless!

Life Lately

I have finally caught up with my life and it feels really good. ~whew~ I needed a breather after the back-to-school rush of it all. Our family has hit a stride and as long as I can keep my act together and continue to fold and put away the kids laundry we should be okay.

So tons of wonderful things have been happening. Birthdays, the Blessed Is She team retreat (which deserves its own post, really), cooler weather in my neck of the woods, and all the little things that make life so great. So this is a bit of a highlight reel type post, but first let's start with a song. Catchy with depressing lyrics:



Second:
Ben lost his first tooth, right at bed time last week. He was so excited and we were so exhausted that we went to bed at the same time as the kids. In the morning Ben was disappointed because the Tooth Fairy hadn't come but Daddy saved the day. As Ben was eating breakfast Travis passed the kids room, still dark at 6:15am, and caught something out of the corner of his eye. He told Ben and L this and they immediately *knew* it *was* the Tooth Fairy and she *hadn't* forgotten him, she just didn't know that we'd be up already and he was her very last stop. So all's well that ends well.

He lost his second tooth after much wiggling, pushing, pulling, and apple eating at breakfast on Wednesday of this week. Big sister L was an active participant in getting it out (and I think caused him some pain, too. : /  )


Third:
Funny story: Last week the new Hatch Prints tote came in the mail. When I pulled it out of its USPS packaging it looked like this:

 And Ben asked, "Is it garlic bread?!" This kid looooooves garlic bread so he was pretty sure it was the best mail day ever.

He was unimpressed and uninterested when he saw that it was actually this awesome bag, but I was incredibly happy.

Currently it is holding: library books, LuLaRoe leggings, wallet, diapers, wet wipes, baby toys, and a pouch filled with rosary, kleenexes, pens, chapstick, and lipstick. It's gotta work hard at this house.


Fourth:
Baby Tee started pulling himself up to kneeling. And then he figured out crawling, abandoning The Worm to master the official crawl. He has great confidence and found his way to the bathroom for his first time to play with the toilet paper. Within two days of that he was pulling himself to standing and within a week he took his first "cruising" steps.

With all these accomplishments comes the need to constantly yell at people for leaving the bathroom and basement doors open and a little (or a lot) of sentimentality and mourning as my baby gets older.


Fifth:
Jofis is wearing big boy undies all through the day. I waited until he was well past three and interested, making potty training super easy. I bribed him with candy for pee and sorbet for poop and in no time he was good to go. I am down to one in diapers again and it is awesome.

Jofis is also becoming a master story teller. He will passionately tell you "ooooky" stories about ghosts and ditches (witches) and big, big, big scary monsters. He acts things out and illustrates size with his arms and hands. His face is incredibly animated and he gleefully smiles when he gets to the really juicy parts. In short, it is adorable.


Sixth:
Last week was a lot of fun for liturgical feasting. Michaelmas (the feast of St. Michael, St. Gabriel, and St. Raphael - the archangels) was celebrated wholeheartedly. The kids and I read about St. Raphael in the Book of Tobit at breakfast becuase I couldn't quite remember what was up with the fish. Inspired by Molly's clever post about St. Michael's leggings, the girls and I wore our own leggings.  

Inspired by Haley's blog name and book Feast! we dined on roasted chicken and carrots for dinner with cake topped with blackberry compote for dessert. As Ben ate he asked, "Am I making the devil mad by eating blackberries?" eager to bring a bit of consternation to the guy.

When I was in college my chaplain was Fr. Gary Caster - a wonderful priest, preacher, and friend of St. Therese. He instilled in my friends and I a deep love of St. Therese and so October 1st cannot pass without some roses and something to honor my friends - Therese in Heaven and those on earth. I didn't get the chance to make something French for dinner or decorate rose cupcakes (like Tracy's - hers were gorgeous!)  but while all but the baby were with friends or family Travis and I ate Five Guys burgers and fries for dinner so I still call that a win.

Seventh:

St. Francis' feast day was this week of course and to celebrate our water heater broke and we had to buy a new one. We are following Dave Ramsey's Baby Steps so fortunately we had the money in savings to pay for it, but it's a big purchase. It seemed like a fitting day for it to happen.

In what I would describe as a parenting win, though, my school aged kids climbed in the car at pick-up and asked what we were going to do to celebrate St. Francis' feast. I had not even thought about it but it seems that I have established a precedent in our home: feast days = a special dinner, dessert, or activity. This has been my goal the whole time - for my kids to love living out their faith - and so we brainstormed on the way home. In the end spaghetti in honor of Francis' Italian heritage and cut out cookies shaped like animals were the winners. 

We used dogs, dinosaurs, butterflies, Easter bunnies, and Halloween bats and cats. Afterwards I found our Thanksgiving turkey; I'll have to remember that one for next year. 

So that's it. A pretty good couple of weeks. And now I'm off to link up with the wonderful Kelly at This Ain't the Lyceum. Have a fun weekend, you guys! :)

How We Threw A Sacred Heart Party

The Solemnity of the Sacred Heart is one of my favorite feast days all year. I love celebrating Jesus' passionate love for us, His heart ablaze with His love and the signs of His Passion on display. The image of Christ holding or pointing to His Heart, showing us the mini Gospel - "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son..." - it is so perfectly quirky Catholic and I love it. 

This year our celebration lasted all day. The Solemnity is a Meat Friday so we ate bacon and then headed to noon Mass at the local, gorgeous, Sacred Heart Church, as is our custom. More bacon for lunch and then it was time for party prep - a group of friends were coming over for dinner!

We don't have an image of the Sacred Heart so I drew one on the chalkboard that hangs in a prominent spot in our home.

It's not bad.

Then I followed in Mary's footsteps and made fruit trays like the Sacred and Immaculate Hearts, seen at her blog, Better Than Eden. I made mine a bit more simply because I didn't peel an orange, just opened a can of mandarin oranges, and I sprinkled chocolate chips on the strawberries instead of melting chocolate.

To keep things easy on everyone we made the night a potluck. Everyone brought their own meat, a dish to pass, and their own drink of choice. Travis manned the grill and the kids jumped on the trampoline, played on our swingset, and climbed our Maple tree.

As the sun was setting but before a single meltdown I called all the kids to the patio. Each parent got a prayer card and each person was given a glow stick. I stood in front of the kids and talked to them about the reason for our party, about God's great love for us, about the Sacred Heart of Jesus. I invited them to snap their glow sticks and to wave them and wear them as a reminder of Jesus' Heart that burns for love of us.

Then as a group we all prayed the Prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. (If you ever have a Sacred Heart party please feel free to use the image! You can save it, insert it into a Word or Publisher Doc. Set the paper to Landscape and you can easily fit two per page.)

The kids ran off into the dusk, catching fireflies and we parents stayed in our comfy chairs, sipping rum or beer and chatting with one another. That sounds super saccharine-y so please know that about ten minutes later I spilled my drink on my lap. ha!

It was a great day, and I'm so grateful for my group of friends and for my husband who doesn't bat an eye when I say, "Let's have ten adults and twenty kids over and you can grill them all dinner!"

Easter Baskets, Books, & a Thank You

Picture by Annie Spratt

It's that time of year when I have to figure out what I want to give my kids for Easter. The gifts need to
a) not drive me crazy
b) not be a bunch of candy
c) be practical
d) not break my heart if they don't last forever
e) last longer than the Octave of Easter
and
f) be something they'll be excited about.

This year I'm doing the whole umbrellas turned upside down for the basket thing, which you probably saw on Facebook and Pinterest. Totally cute, right? They originated on Primal Dish, and I just love the idea.

The kids will each get their own, in their own color* filled with their own special color cup** and swim goggles. Starbursts and sidewalk chalk will round things out and all the items meet all my criteria.

And in case you're wondering what to get for your friends and family I wanted to share some ideas. Some of these are Amazon links and if you make a purchase after following my link I will get a small referral fee at no cost to you, but I'm not being compensated for any of the other items.

Also, as a way help and show my appreciation to you, I've reached out to the many of the artists and creators I'm featuring and have gotten special coupon codes for you to use. Many of these items would make special gifts for First Holy Communions and Baptisms, too!

So here's the things we're doing this year and items we've done in the past and some other stuff I simply love and wanted to share:


This year's (affiliate links following:) umbrellas, sidewalk chalk, and goggles mentioned above are obviously good choices. ;)


Prints by Jude Landry, Brick House in the City, and Hatch Prints - these hang in my kitchen and brighten my life.

Use the coupon code HEISRISEN for 20% off from now until Easter at Brick House in the City.

Use the coupon code AKNOTTEDLIFE15 for 15% off from now through May 15th at Hatch Prints.

Use the coupon code FRIENDOFBONNIE for 15% off from Jude Landry.

Saintly Silver dolls - Tee just received Fulton Sheen and Fr. Kapaun for his baptism and I can attest to the high quality and adorableness of these suckers.

Honey Child Forrest has so many whimsical crafts and cute things - I swoon all the time.

Use the coupon code BONNIE16 now through Monday for free shipping from Honey Child Forrest.

For the bearded men in your life: Catholic Beard Balm


For family game night fun: Spot It and Go Fish, Old Maid, and Crazy 8s card games


For kiddos with special events coming up: Timree Box

Use the coupon code aknottedlife to get 10% off any religious dish from Timree

And books!
An Alphabet of Catholic Saints (sweet for littles)
The Weight of the Mass (If you don't own this already buy this book; it's perfect for littles and kids prepping for First Communion)
Chime Travelers (easy but good chapter books)
Angel in the Waters (lovely - especially for families expecting a new baby)


Plus, I want to tell you about a couple of new-ish books by Michelle from My Domestic Monastery: Mary Holds My Hand and I Walk With Jesus.

 Mary Holds My Hand is a child's rosary book. There are great reflections and prayers to help the children through the decades. I've passed this book on to my daughter to help her learn to love the rosary better and so far it's been a good fit.

It's also beautifully illustrated by Heather Sleighton of Audrey Eclectic Folk Art. (Which, by the way her Madonna in Blooms would make a great Easter basket gift for an older child, your mom, or yourself. Use the coupon code knottedlife to get 15% off through April 15th.)

I Walk with Jesus is an incredibly kid-friendly Station of the Cross book. We have several books for Stations and I like them all, and each is good for a different age. This one is perfect for my littlest kids. I wish each page had the Station's proper title and the prayer, "We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You..." because I get lost in remembering those things while trying to help my kids pray, but the pictures and the words are so perfect for the target audience that it's a small complaint. If you're looking for a good book to help with Holy Week and to grow this devotion in your domestic church I definitely suggest this one.

Okay, I know I should do some great wrap-up but baby Tee is crying and I need to go! Let us pray for each other!

PS - If you're joining or coming into full communion with or returning to the Church this Easter please let me know!!!

PPS - *I learned that assigning each kid a color trick from Kathryn.

**That cup one, too.