Everyday graces of my Vocation

Leah's Blog giveaway

2008-12-23T09:44:00.002-06:00

Check this out!

Amazingly talented and super-cute Leah is having a huge giveaway at her blog "Life as Lou"!
Be sure to check it out! You wouldn't want to miss it for the world!

Company Chicken Pasta Salad with Grapes

2008-12-03T12:17:00.002-06:00

"This is a special treat to fix for your guests. Enjoy it with some hot garlic bread, if desired."

2 cups small seashell pasta
3 1/2 cups chopped poached chicken breast meat
1/2 cup diced celery
1 cup seedless green grapes, halved
salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon white sugar

DIRECTIONS
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
In a medium bowl, combine chicken, celery, grapes, cooked pasta, salt, and white pepper; mix well and reserve.
In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, curry powder, cumin, rice vinegar, and sugar; whisk ingredients together and toss with chicken mixture.
Cover salad with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 to 4 hours before serving.

2008-11-04T18:48:00.000-06:00

Your result for The Who Would You Be in 1400 AD Test...

The Lord

You scored 18% Cardinal, 54% Monk, 44% Lady, and 54% Knight!

You are of the intellectual breed and yet you are also very interested in war. You are of the aristocracy and head the cavalry a safe distance from the carnage of the front lines. You believe in defeating your enemy with not only might, but also wit.

You scored high as both the Monk and the Knight. You can try again to get a more precise description of either the Monk or the Knight, or you can be happy that you're an individual.

Take The Who Would You Be in 1400 AD Test at HelloQuizzy

Free ePattern from Sense & Sensibility

2008-11-04T17:10:00.002-06:00

I use to sell these patterns in my gift shop and they are truly lovely. You will not be disappointed, trust me!
Jennie Chancey has the most beautiful, feminine historic patterns, and she even has online instructions for creating many of them. You might know Jennie best from her LAF site. Now she is offering ePatterns, downloadable to your computer, and to anyone who is willing to post a link to the ePatterns on a blog (or email 10 friends with the link), she will give one of her ePattern free of charge.

So if you sew, it may be something for you! Here is the link to the ePatterns.

Fr. Corapi

2008-11-02T20:50:00.002-06:00

Join the Rosary Crusade for Life!

2008-10-26T22:27:00.003-05:00

Fr. John Corapi is calling for a rosary crusade like the one that defeated the Islamic assault on Europe in 1571 at the Battle of Lepanto. If you aren't praying the rosary daily for the election please at least join the crusade for the last nine days, October 27 to November 4.

Fr. Corapi says:

"The moral demise of a nation results in the ultimate demise of a nation. God is not a disinterested spectator to the affairs of man. Life begins at conception. This is an unalterable formal teaching of the Catholic Church.

"If you do not accept this you are a heretic in plain English. A single abortion is homicide. The more than 48,000,000 abortions since Roe v.Wade in the United States constitute genocide by definition. The group singled out for death unwanted unborn children.

"No other issue, not all other issues taken together, can constitute a proportionate reason for voting for candidates that intend to preserve and defend this holocaust of innocent human life that is abortion.

"I strongly urge every one of you to make a Novena and pray the Rosary to Our Lady of Victory between October 27th and Election Day, November 4th. Pray that God's will be done and the most innocent and utterly vulnerable of our brothers and sisters will be protected from this barbaric and grossly sinful blight on society that is abortion."

Catholics in name only...

2008-10-26T19:52:00.004-05:00

2008-10-26T16:31:00.005-05:00

Check out Castle of the Immaculate ...you'll find several great articles on modesty. My most favorite is The Virtue of Skirts. She has a collection posts relating to modest, Catholic dressing.

Peggy's Kitchen

2008-09-30T08:45:00.006-05:00

Peggy is an amazing cook with years of cooking wisdom! You can order from Peggy's Kitchen a cd of cookbook recipes. You will get 274 pages of mouthwatering, down home recipes...straight from Peggy's table to yours!

~~The Simple Women's Daybook~~

2008-09-29T09:56:00.008-05:00

please visit Peggy for more daybook entries
FOR TODAY Monday the 29th of September...

Outside My Window...the sun is shining

I am thinking...of all my chores today. I have a big list of to-do's prior to my trip to D.C.

I am thankful for...my husbands dedication to his family and for making us all feel loved.

From the kitchen...the counters are clear, nothing like waking up to a clean kitchen.

I am wearing...my husbands old Army pt shirt and a comfortable denim skirt.

I am creating...a peaceful spot in my classroom.

I am going...to finish unpacking and putting away the last few boxes in our study, hopefully it will be all done before supper.

I am reading...the Army Wife Handbook so I can create my thank you notes that do not contain any faux pas.

I am hoping...to get an appt for this week at my favorite stylist for a cut & color!

I am hearing...kiddos playing up stairs, sounds like a bunch of elephants jumping rope, lol.

Around the house...is a little un-kept from Sunday.

One of my favorite things...is paper, yup I love paper just as much as Leslie at Small meadow Press!

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: shop for some new clothes, delegate chores to kiddos and lose 5 pounds!

Here is picture I am sharing...good friends, two of my girls are on the left and right and my dear friends daughter is in the middle. This was taken when we were at the Fathers of Mercy Bi-Centennial Bash!

Kathy's Birthday Week Giveaway

2008-09-29T09:45:00.002-05:00

After being showered with good times, good friendships and good gifts this past week, Kathy thought she'd pass on some good stuff to others!

You will want to visit her blog each day this week and see what she is offering as a give away! All you have to do is leave her your name and a way to contact you and she'lll put your name in the hat!

TRUTH...

2008-09-28T16:22:00.000-05:00

2008-09-27T21:54:00.000-05:00

I really like to save money and more importantly I like to know/control the ingredients in the items we use. Do a search for recipes and try out a few to get a feel of which process you like. Trent at my favorite money/frugality blog has calculated the savings of making laundry soap and it basically equates out to an average $0.03 cents a load...wow, right. If you want to research this idea more please visit "The Simple Dollar". Trent has done an excellent job of detailing everything for you!

Liquid Laundry Detergent:

2 gallon Recipe:

3 Pints Water

1/3 bar Fels Naptha Soap, grated

1/2 cup Washing Soda (Arm and Hammer, NOT baking soda though!!)

1/2 cup 20 Mule Team Borax

2 Gallon bucket to mix it in

1 Quart hot water Hot Water

Mix Fels Naptha soap in a saucepan with 3 pints hot water and heat on low until dissolved. Stir in Washing Soda and Borax. Stir until thickened, and remove from heat. Add 1 Quart Hot Water to 2 gallon Bucket. Add soap mixture, and mix well. Fill bucket with additional hot water, and mix well. Set aside for 24 hours, or until mixture thickens. Use 1/2 cup of mixture per load.

5 gallon Recipe: (my favorite)

Water

1 bar grated Fels Naptha soap

5 gallon bucket

1 cup washing soda (Again, Arm and Hammer)

4 1/2 gallons water

Put grated Fels Naptha in saucepan and cover with water. Heat on low until dissolved. Fill bucket with hot water and add soap. Stir to combine. Add 1 cup washing soda and mix well. As it cools, it will thicken. May be used immediately. Use 1- 2 cups per load. I sometimes add

Powdered Laundry Detergent

1 cup grated Fels Naptha Soap

1/2 cup washing soda

1/2 cup 20 mule team borax

Mix and store in airtight container or bag. For light loads, use 2 tablespoon. For heavy loads, use 3 tablespoons.

To make a large batch - grate 6 bars of Fels Naptha Soap and then add 3 cups of Washing Soda and 3 cups of 20 Mule Team Borax. Mix well and store in covered container.

Blog Give-away

2008-09-27T21:39:00.000-05:00

Please visit Tammy's blog for a wonderful give-a-way she is having in honor of her 100th post!

Vote Your Conscience

2008-09-14T08:32:00.000-05:00