Sunday, January 31, 2016

February Saints and Feast Days


General February Links
February Activities for Catholic Families @ Real Life at Home
10 More February Activities for Catholic Families @ Real Life at Home
February Saints and Feast Days Word Search @ Real Life at Home

February 1st – St. Brigid of Ireland
St. Brigid was a converted pagan Irish saint in the style of St. Patrick.  She evangelized, founded convents, and was generous to those in need.  Read more about her at Catholic Culture.

Coloring Pages:
St. Brigid @ Waltzing Matilda
St. Brigid @ Saints to Color

Activities:
St. Brigid’s Cross @ Catholic Icing
St. Brigid’s Day Playdate @ Real Life at Home

School:
St. Brigid Poem @ Training Happy Hearts
St. Brigid Story @ Catholic Saints

Food:
St. Brigid’s Bread @ Catholic Cuisine
Cultured Irish Butter @ Catholic Cuisine
Irish Cheese Toasties @ Catholic Cuisine
St. Brigid Vegetable Soup @ Catholic Cuisine
St. Brigid’s Oaten Bread @ Catholic Cuisine
St. Brigid Irish Soda Bread @ Homeschool is Where the Heart Is

Prayers:
15 Prayers of St. Brigid @ Catholic Culture
Litany of St. Brigid @ Catholic Culture

February 2nd – The Presentation of the Lord (Candlemas)
This feast celebrates the presentation of the Lord in the temple 40 days after his birth.  Read more about this feast at Catholic Culture.

Coloring Pages:
The Presentation at Ray-Chill’s World

Activities:
Candle Napkin Folding @ Our Domestic Church
Presentation Puppets @ Catholic Inspired
Toilet Paper Roll Candles @ Family at the Foot of the Cross
Candlemas Crafts @ Our Domestic Church

Food:
Candlemas Tea @ Catholic Cuisine
Candle Cake @ Catholic Cuisine
Savory Candles @ Catholic Cuisine
Candlemas Crepes @ Catholic Cuisine
Candlemas Cookies @ Catholic Cuisine
Presentation of Our Lord Snack @ Homeschool Is Where the Heart Is

Prayers:
Pray the 4th Joyful Mystery
Bring the year’s liturgical candles to the church for the priest to bless.
Read Luke 2:22-35
Read St. John Paul II’s Homily @ Vatican
Prayer for the Feast of the Purification @ Catholic Culture

February 3rd – St. Blaise
St. Blaise was a bishop and physician in Armenia and patron saint of throat diseases and illnesses.  Read more about him at Catholic Culture.

Coloring Pages:
St. Blaise @ Catholic Playground
St. Blaise @ Waltzing Matilda

Food:
St. Blaise Cookies @ Catholic Cuisine
Any of the recipes from Candlemas on Feb. 2nd
Fish Bone Apple Snack @ Homeschool Is Where the Heart Is (Coming Soon)

Prayers:
Prayer to St. Blaise @ Catholic Culture

February 5th – St. Agatha
St. Agatha was martyred and tortured by having her breasts removed and being raked over coal.  Read more about her at Catholic Culture.

Coloring Pages:
St. Agatha @ Homeschool Is Where the Heart Is (coming soon)

Activities:

Food:
St. Agatha Rolls @ Catholic Cuisine
St. Agatha’s Gold @ By Sun and Candlelight

February 6th – St. Paul Miki and Companions
St. Paul Miki was a Japanese Jesuit, martyred along with 23 companions.  Read more about him at Catholic Culture.

Coloring Pages:
St. Paul Miki and Companions @ Snowflake Clockwork

Activities:
Origami Cross @ Homeschool Is Where the Heart Is (Coming Soon)

Food:
Japanese Style Steak @ Catholic Culture

February 8th – St. Josephine Bakhita
A Sudanese born slave who converted to Catholicism.  Read more about her at Catholic Culture.

Coloring Pages:
St. Bakhita @ Catholic Playground
St. Josephine Bakhita @ Waltzing Matilda
St. Josephine Bakhita @ Snowflake Clockwork

Food:
African Inspired Dinner @ Catholic Cuisine
Sudanese Cinnamon Tea & Peanut Macaroons @ Homeschool Is Where the Heart Is (Coming Soon)

Prayer:
Prayer in Honor of St. Josephine Bakhita @ Catholic Culture

February 9th – St. Apollonia, Fat Tuesday
St. Apollonia was tortured by having her teeth pulled out and martyred in Alexandria.  Read more about her at Catholic Culture.

Coloring Page:
St. Apollonia @ Homeschool Is Where the Heart Is (Coming Soon)

Food:
St. Apollonia Teeth Snack @ Family at the Foot of the Cross

Fat Tuesday
Read more about Fat Tuesday at Catholic Culture.  See my Lent 2016 post for more info.

February 10th – Ash Wednesday, St. Scholastica
St. Scholastica was the twin of St. Benedict, and devoted her life to God.  Read more about it at Catholic Culture.

Coloring Pages:
St. Scholastica @ Catholic Playground
St. Benedict and St. Scholastica @ Real Life at Home

Activities:
Thunderstorm Art @ Homeschool Is Where the Heart Is (Coming Soon)

Food:
Thunder and Lightning @ Catholic Cuisine

February 11th – Our Lady of Lourdes
Mary appeared to St. Bernadette in Lourdes several times, proclaiming that she was “The Immaculate Conception”.  Read more about this Marian apparition at Catholic Culture.

Coloring Pages:
Our Lady of Lourdes @ Catholic Playground
Immaculate Conception @ Waltzing Matilda
Our Lady of Lourdes @ Drawn 2B Creative

Activities:
Grotto Crafts @ Catholic Inspired

Food:
French Onion Rice @ Catholic Cuisine

February 14th – St. Cyril and Methodius, St. Valentine
Sts. Cyril and Methodius were brothers who worked diligently to convert the Slavonic nations.  Read more about them at Catholic Culture.

Coloring Pages:
Sts. Cyril and Methodius @ Catholic Playground

Food:
Pierogi @ Catholic Culture

St. Valentine
St. Valentine was a Roman martyr who married many couple in secret in direct disobedience of Emperor Claudius’ decree.  Read more about him at Catholic Culture.

Coloring Pages:
St. Valentine @ Catholic Playground
St. Valentine @ Waltzing Matilda
Before My Eyes @ Look to Him and Be Radiant
A Friend Loves @ Look to Him and Be Radiant

Activities:
Spiritual Boquet for Valentine’s Day @ Catholic Icing
Heart Napkin Fold @ Catholic Playground
Love Is Minibook @ Drawn 2B Creative
Valentine Thankful Craft @ Catholic Inspired
St. Valentine Placemat @ Real Life at Home
St. Valentine Word Search @ Real Life at Home
Socks of Love Service Project @ Family at the Foot of the Cross
Valentine Saint Game @ Catholic Culture
Catholic Valentines @ Homeschool Is Where the Heart Is (Coming Soon)

Food:
Valentine Bible Verse Candy Heart Cookies @ Catholic Playground          
                               
February 20th – Blesseds Jacinta and Francisco Marto
Two of the children whom Mary appeared to at Fatima.  Read more about them at Catholic Culture.

Coloring Pages:
Beatos Francisco y Jacinta Marto @ Familia Cristiana
Our Lady of Fatima @ Catholic Playground

Food:
Portuguese Meat @ Catholic Cuisine

February 22nd – The Chair of St. Peter the Apostle
Celebration of the papacy as instituted by Christ.  Read more about this feast at Catholic Culture

Coloring Pages:
P is for St. Peter @ Saints to Color
The Chair of St. Peter @ Snowflake Clockwork

Food:
Edible Chairs @ Catholic Cuisine
Golden Chair of St. Peter Fruit Salad @ Catholic Cuisine

Thanks for reading!

Thursday, January 21, 2016

Christmas 2015

Despite my best intentions to make a peaceful, prayerful Advent, the month of December got away from us.  I'd blame it mostly on my new little side business of making peg dolls, but realistically, that was just one of too many things on my plate.  One of these years I'll get it right.
I loved making them but next time I'm starting in July!
On the plus side, even though it was busy, we had a great time celebrating many of our fun family traditions and enjoying some fun group parties.
Gingerbread houses, River of Lights, Making Cookies, Zoo Christmas Enrichment, Making Tamales
AHG Court of Awards, Little Flowers/Blue Knights Minute to Win It Christmas Party,
Co-op Geography/Science Fair, Gem and Mineral Club Christmas Party
Of course, we added some new traditions to celebrate our precious Joaquin on his first Christmas in heaven.

Christmas Eve and Day were wonderful.  We spent Christmas Day at my sister's house enjoying our time with family.
Every year we go to San Antonio for a week after Christmas to visit Phil's mom.  This year, we left earlier than expected to get away from being snowed in by an incoming blizzard.
In the photo on the right you can see the blizzard in the mirror.  We were literally outrunning it most of the day.
Of course, when we finally got to San Antonio, it was HOT.  Thankfully it cooled down, because I didn't pack any warm weather clothes!
We had a lovely time once we got there, spending time with Grandma and playing with cousins.  We even managed to squeeze in a date night!
Decorating Grandma's Christmas Tree, Date Night, Picking Fruit

We had fun with Wisemen Adventures again this year from Christmas leading up to Epiphany.
When we got home, the snow from Snowmaggedon still hadn't melted in our front yard so the kids still got to play in the snow!
 Thanks for reading!