I almost forgot to put out My Little Felt Friends Nativity! I love these durable little felt dolls and I specifically asked for the classic St Joseph (with the lilies) and Mother Mary holding the Infant Jesus so that I can bring them out for various Feast Days throughout the year…and especially these next 12 Days of Christmas!
Merry Christmas from the McConkeys
December 23, 2014 by 1 Comment
So, I didn’t write a Christmas letter but made a 2014 Collage instead! Just in case you haven’t seen it in the mail yet, I thought I’d share it here! 2014 was a big year in our family…with many big decade anniversaries and a crazy jump in travel in the fall! We also had a couple big firsts with Bridget’s First Communion, Emily’s First Year in University and Adam’s First Day of School in Junior Kindergarten!
Hand-Me-Down Treasures
December 19, 2014 by 1 Comment
This is the time of year, I inevitably start to panic a little. Our previous plans to avoid an extravagant Christmas are called into question as we marvel at the buying frenzy…and worry that we have enough for everyone…
Do you know Antonietta Meo?
December 14, 2014 by 3 Comments
Antonietta Meo was born on December 15, 1930.
Do you know Antonietta Meo, not yet recognized a Saint, but Servant of God?
She died at the tender age of 6 and a half. Her simple, but powerful Faith, her love for Jesus and her profound understanding of suffering captured my heart as I visited her tomb at Santa Croce in Rome.
Feast Day Fun: St Lucy
December 13, 2014 by Leave a Comment
December 13th is the Feast Day of St Lucy. St Lucy was a young Christian who vowed at an early age to be a Bride of Christ. She was reported to the government for the crime of being a Christian, by a suitor she had turned away. One legend reports that she plucked out her own eyes because their beauty attracted unwanted attention from suitors. Her eyes were miraculously healed.
Feast Day Fun: Bambinelli Sunday
December 12, 2014 by 2 Comments
We were inspired by the book Bambinelli Sunday. See Bridget’s review below!
We decided to take advantage of the SNOW DAY … and make our own Bambinelli.
I was intrigued by 2 different homemade recipes for dough I found online: one for salt/flour dough and one for corn starch/baking soda dough. The corn starch dough made a cool kind of dough and it’s nice and smooth and bright white, but we must have done something wrong, because it will not keep its’ shape. The trusty salt dough was easier to work with and even though it can get a little crumbly, we like how our Bambinelli turned out.
Feast Day Fun: Our Lady of Guadalupe
December 11, 2014 by 3 Comments
December 12th is the Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe. She appeared to St Juan Diego, whose Feast Day we celebrated on Tuesday!
Feast Day Crafts and Activities
Excerpts from A Treasure Chest of Traditions for Catholic Families , various posts at Equipping Catholic Families and our Saint Scripts Craft Kits (Series ONE and TWO)
Bridget’s Review of a Very Good Book
December 9, 2014 by 2 Comments
Clare’s Costly Cookie by Julie Kelly, illustrated by Mary MacArthur.
Review by Bridget McConkey, age 8.
Clare’s Costly Cookie is a very nice book. I like how it’s about a girl growing closer and closer to God, but it’s not only about her praying to God and getting closer to God, but Clare even has these Saint cards that she tells you about. For example, St. Agnes. She was young and very beautiful so many people wanted to marry her but she always refused. When she refused to marry a prince, the king tried to ask her but she refused again and said that her heart was for God. Then he got angry and ordered for her to be killed.
Feast Day Fun: St Juan Diego
December 8, 2014 by Leave a Comment
December 9th is the Feast Day of St Juan Diego. With the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe on Friday…we will be able to use some of the same decorations (and mexican food!) again…very soon!
Feast Day Fun: Immaculate Conception
December 7, 2014 by Leave a Comment
December 8th is the Feast Day of the Immaculate Conception. This Feast Day does not celebrate Jesus’ Conception, but rather Mary’s conception within the womb of her mother, St Anne. This special day appropriately occurs 9 months before the Birth of Mary within the Liturgical Calendar.
