Catholic Blogger Birthday Bash!

J.M.J.

So thrilled to be able to congratulate Monica on her wonderful 'Catholic Bloggers' blog.  2 years already!  Congratulations, Monica!

She is throwing a cyber party and there are plenty of birthday goodies!  To help her celebrate, I have donated my favorite Lenten project.

Enter for a chance to win this or any other of the wonderful prizes available by following the directions at the bottom of this post.  Be sure to visit the sponsors of this fabulous blogger's bash!

 

We're celebrating our 2nd birthday here at the Catholic Bloggers Network with the

Catholic Bloggers Birthday GIVEAWAY!

This FABULOUS GIVEAWAY is sponsored by the following

AWESOME CATHOLIC BLOGGERS:

Equipping Catholic Families + Designs By Birgit + Home to 4 Kiddos +

Mountain of Grace + Campfires and Cleats + A Slice of Smith Life +

Principium et Finis + Gathering Graces + Day by Day in Our World +

Catholic All Year + Raising Little Saints + Life Unabridged +

Truly Rich Mom + Snoring Scholar + Catholic Inspired +

Upside Down Homeschooling + Flectamus Genua +

Happy Little Homemaker + Exuberant Catholic

In addition to the $75 Amazon Gift Card, we are giving these

WONDERFUL BOOKS!

God Moments II by Michele Elena Bondi (Campfires and Cleats ) The Confessions by St Augustine ( Principium et Finis ) The New Saint Joseph First Communion Catechism (Gathering Graces ) The Passion of Mary (An Untold Story of Advent) by Andrew Bowen (eBook) Pope Awesome and Other Stories by Cari Donaldson (A Slice of Smith Life ) Catholic Family Fun by Sarah Reinhard ( Snoring Scholar ) A Little Book about Confession by Kendra Tierney (available March 15, 2014 at Catholic All Year )

...and these Popular Printables:

My Journal of Saints by Heather Bowen (Upside Down Homeschooling )

Your choice of Cathletics Craft Kit by Arma Dei: Equipping Catholic Families

(3 x $13 prizes available!)

Holy Name of Jesus Puzzle by Catholic Inspired

Journey’s End Game by Catholic Inspired

Landmark Matching Game by Home to 4 Kiddos

First Holy Communion Catechism Journal by Raising Little Saints Lent Printable by Flectamus Genua

Faith Folders for Catholics

($20 Gift Certificate! )

and these Awesome Catholic Gifts!

Handmade Veil by Birgit See Birgit's Veils here!

and pick TWO Tiny Saints Charms (Equipping Catholic Families )

(pick TWO from: Mary, Blessed Mother Saint Therese of Lisieux Pope Francis Saint Joseph

Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Saint Anne Saint Anthony Saint Brigid of Ireland Saint Catherine of Siena

Saint Cecilia Saint Christopher Saint Clare Saint Francis of Assisi Saint George Saint Gianna

Saint Joan of Arc Saint Jude Saint Mark Saint Maximilian Kolbe Saint Michael the Archangel

Saint Patrick Saint Paul Saint Peregrine

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7 Quick Takes in the Poppe Household

J.M.J.

It has been a rather quiet week overall, so these Takes will be short and sweet.  Just a few humdrum everyday moments and a few random quotes uttered in our home this week.  And if I had remembered to charge my camera battery, I would have posted pictures of these, as some of these were either cute, precious or amusing.  Well - all but #7..... Ahem.

---1---

I have managed to get about half of my Christmas cards into the mail this week.  No really.  This is huge.  Most years I buy the cards and they gather dust in their boxes.  One year I actually wrote about 20 names on the envelopes but got overwhelmed with the prospect of having to actually address them.  "Why can't the mailmen just look these addresses up for me?" I'd whine.  But not this year!  Which is pretty incredible, since I have like HUNDREDS of people I need to send cards to this year.  So if you get a Christmas card from the Poppes before Lent, just file it away with your Christmas decorations and open it next Advent.  Merry Christmas!

---2---

I played with my 2yo daughter today.  I am not the 'play house' type (I have a hard enough time living 'house' in real life), but how can I resist when she happily announced, "Walmart time!  Go shopping."  So I donned a straw hat and plastic see-through purse and off we went with our dollies in the stroller to the pantry where she began to swiftly shoplift everything she could fit into her Easter purse.  Hmmm....

---3---

I am anxiously waiting to use my new chocolate mint soap I made last month.  Tomorrow is the big day - the soap will be cured, and I will be lathering up in the shower with cocoa butter and jojoba oil, smelling like a piece of Andes mint candy.  Yum!

---4---

Fulton likes sardines.  It is the snack that not only nourishes, but entertains as well.  "Mom!" he grinned, "I smell like a lobster and it makes the girls scream!"

---5---

Rice Krispie sludge is the Best.  Snack.  Ever.  Whatever the recipe is for Rice Krispie treats, cut the butter by half, double the marshmallows and cut out about a cup of the cereal.  Don't bother putting it into a baking pan and cutting it into squares.  Really.  Try it.  This is pure joy to me.

---6---

I finally said something that even surprised me.  

"Boys!"  I hollered, "Settle down right now or you both are headed to a time out!"  (OK - I have said that like a million times a week - just wait for it...)

"Moooom, it's Marialina's fault!  She is the one doing it!"

To which I replied, "I don't think so.  You were the ones chasing each other and trying to stab your brother in the heart.  Marialina is just standing here trying to shove that toy up her nose.  Now settle down!"

---7---

And now I'll leave you with this quote from my rather imaginative 5 year old son:
"One time I swallowed a piece of gum and blew a bubble out of my bottom."

Now come join the fun and post your own for 7 Quick Takes!

Soap Making: Lemon Nettle Soap

J.M.J.

Batch 2:    Lemon Nettle Soap

I think this is my favorite soap so far!  I have been playing around with recipes again and have even figured out how to safely get the lye activated without killing anyone inside or freezing myself outside.  The bathtub works great!

I do all my measuring in there and just get the vent going while it does its thing.  Everyone is sufficiently terrified of the stuff, so I have no worries about accidents or spills.  Love it!

This soap recipe is definitely worth repeating!
(Please note that I use all organic ingredients - I am just too lazy to write the word 'organic' multiple times)

Base soap:
18oz olive oil
16oz coconut oil
14oz palm oil
7.1oz lye
17.5oz distilled water

And the goodies are:
1T partially ground lemon peel
1T partially ground nettle leaves
1tsp geranuim eo
1tsp ylang ylang eo
1tsp lavender eo
1tsp tangerine eo
2tsp lemongrass eo

 I actually made this the same time I made the first batch of the other soap, but haven't found the time to post about it.  Everyone loves this soap so this will be featured in my Etsy shop for sure!