
Warm golden light from the setting sun lights this hay field in Shawnee Co. Kansas. -Kansas Whispers
It seems a long time since I put some photos up…or told you of news along the way….
It is an exciting time for us…all of our couples (we have six that are married) are expecting! So the next months will be busy with little newborns everywhere! I was hoping to get a photo of all our ladies together but that just doesn’t happen too often (or I forget about the photo shoot when everyone is around). Our daughter-in-law, Z, is due in a week!
In our area, the harvest is in full swing (it is later this year because of the abundance of rain in the spring and early summer) and the leaves are turning.
What a beautiful time of the year! Most people who talk about their favorite season, fall back on….fall! I can’t help but agree…cinnamon sticks, oranges and reds, lots of whipped cream (oh…and don’t forget the tea under it!), and rosaries around the bonfire!
Here is an old post called Feminine Fall Fashions with lots of different outfits for the season of fall. Maybe it will give you some inspiration today!
And here is a post by my daughter, Theresa, about Fall with its Five Senses. It will get you into the mood of Auspicious Autumn Awesomeness!
I also have some questions that were asked of me and I would like to answer them on a post. I just haven’t had time. So sorry to anyone I have neglected along the way! It is very unintentional!
Before I continue, I would like to make you aware of this Copyright Disclaimer for this site. It will be under the “About” Tab in the top menu for further reference:
When I post something from a book of a living author, I have that author’s permission. (Emilie Barnes gave me her permission before her death in 2016)
All the other articles are from books that were published in the 1950’s or before and their authors have passed on. Most of the books can be found online (the complete text) on EWTN or otherwise.
These authors gave us fantastic information that would remain buried or hidden so I am getting it out there. I think the authors would be grateful (I pray for them and to them) and I know many of my readers are grateful, too.
By my referencing their works, I hope the reader will be encouraged to purchase the entire work.
Introducing my new book (and a Giveaway)….
The Catholic Boy’s Traditional 30-Day Journal!!
After I finished the Girl’s Journal, I had requests for a boy’s journal, too. So, here it is! It is not off the press yet but will be soon and will be included in this Giveway!
Let’s keep our young boys engaged in the Faith! Let’s teach them how to be organized, how to prioritize, how to keep on top of, first, the Spiritual things in their lives, and then the other daily duties that God requires of them!
Nothing is more valuable than this type of education…an education for life! That is where this journal comes in! It will give your boys a feel for keeping a To-Do List, with spiritual things at the forefront! What more could you want for them?
Let this journal help you along the way, Mothers! The boys will have 30 days of checklists, thoughts to inspire them for the day, some fun things…like drawing their day and other things to keep them focused. This next 30 days will be invaluable to them…to learn life skills, to have the satisfaction of checking off the activities they finish, to learn to be thankful for the good things God has given us, to offer up their day for someone in need, etc.
This journal is for boys 8 (with the help of Mom) to 16 years of age. Your boys will enjoy it and be able to look back on it for inspiration and encouragement!
Available to pre-order here.
Package Special of the Girl’s and Boy’s Journal is here.
The giveaway includes the two books, The Catholic Girl’s Journal and The Catholic Boy’s Journal, and this beautiful Sunflower doily made by Rosie’s talented crochet hook!
What great Christmas gifts they would make so please sign up by making a comment on this post. I will draw the name next Wednesday, October 30th!
(Please continue to keep Rosie in your prayers. It is hard to believe it has been a whole year since she entered the convent. It has been a hard year. Yes, she is doing better but she is not well enough to resume normal living. I would appreciate any prayers sent our way and so does she!)

Rosie and Willoughby

Steve
As I posted earlier, my brother, Steve, unexpectedly passed away at the end of August. It was truly a blow, especially because we weren’t sure the state of his soul…he had a wayward life. (He had made strides in the last year…but we just weren’t sure).
I want to let you in on something to remind you….never, ever give up on prayer…never give up on the virtue of hope!! God hears our prayers.
Two weeks after Steve died, the funeral home in Canada contacted us saying they found something on Steve and they wanted to know what to do with it. This is what they found on him….
I cannot tell you how happy we were to see this! God is good! Remember the promise of Our Lady…. “Take this Scapular. Whosoever dies wearing it shall not suffer eternal fire. It shall be a sign of salvation, a protection in danger and pledge of peace.” There were also 2 St. Benedict medals and a Miraculous Medal attached!
We had Steve shipped from Canada to here in Kansas and buried close to my dad.
The Gallery…. (click on the first picture to view)
- Mom has many that love her and did their best to console her.
- LIttle boys praying for their uncle.
- Steve’s daughter came from Canada…
- Little children’s prayers….
- It was a consolation to have them all there praying.
- Mom and I throw flowers…
- The children console Grandma.
- Pete and Vin
- Rosie and Edward
- Benjamin
- We stopped at Dad’s gravesite also.
- Theresa’s family visit the grave of Grandpa often. Last time they went there Adrian brought along a bag of BB’s that were for his gun to give to Grandpa. He laid them at his grave…his big sacrifice!
- On another note…here is a little taste of reality! We were very busy making pretties for the Shakespeare Festival so here is our table…yipes!
- The beautiful stage at the Shakespeare Festival. Vincent helped build it.
- Silly Hannah
- Silly Gemma
- Here is our booth with some of our wares…
- Gin’s hats
- Rosie’s doilies, my books
- Spanish mantillas and wire-wrapped rosaries
- Penal rosaries and homemade rings by Hannah
- Handmade jewelry
- My girls
- My girls
- Fun times
- Angelo made this BIG bouquet for me!
- Lovely flowers!
- New hairdo
- Margy is making pierogies for Grandma
- Lookin’ good!
- Gemma is quite proud of her pumpkin with the very large stem!
- In Vin & Gin’s bus to go to the Pumpkin Patch!
- Angelo and Edward
- Vin and Gin’s little people
- Vin and Gin & Co.
- Peter and Vin
- Peter…haha!
- Lots of pumpkins for home!
- Lovely Gin! Expecting her ninth!
- Vin, Gin, Juliette
- Gin and Gemma
- Mike and Jeanette’s family went to the Pumpkin patch, too. A place full of autumn fun and color!
- Kiddos
- Jeanette and her mother-in-law, Rosalie
- Mike and his mom
- Peek-a-boo!
- Train ride!
- Brendan is picking his pumpkin!
- How do you like Theresa’s do? We teased her about it….especially her brothers.
- She wanted a picture of all the ladies who wore sneakers to Family Night.
- She called it “Sneaky Day”!
- A typical scene on a Friday night….
- One of Gin’s projects was to upholster this red chair.
- Lovely!
- Well…at least it kept them quiet for a time!
- The last roses of the season.
- Last zinnias before we pulled the plants.
- And Vincent’s dahlias that brought smiles all summer!
- Sunday morning smiles!
- Gin was busy making large tea rings for the Skeet Shoot!
- Wowsers! That’s a mouthful!
- Yum!
- Another project of Gin’s – an old cupboard door she whitewashed and painted with pumpkins.
- So pretty!
- A friend thought we needed a little autumn teatime!
- Dev and Theresa’s 10th Anniversay brought them back to Hermann Hill in MO where they had their honeymoon.
- Theresa
- A nice glass of wine…
- And trying on the wedding dress…expecting number five!
- Gemma and Hannah are planning to go to the Chartres Pilgrimage in June…if they can get sponsored.
- They are trying out these NewBalance sneakers they bought off of Ebay that are supposed to be perfect for that sort of thing!
- Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us!
- One of the most delightful traits in a personality is a real heartwarming smile that comes from within. Get used to smiling and you will spread the sunshine of God’s love, if you smile from the motive of loving your neighbor and making him happy for God’s sake. -Fr. Lasance
God bless you for the beautiful photos!
So much beauty and goodness. Thank you for sharing the ups and downs and God’s Glory through it all. I’m fairly new to your blog, but so appreciate your breath of fresh air here.
Beautiful! Thank you for the update and its so very idyllic looking!
Sp lovely to see such a wonderful, Catholic family!
Beautiful pictures, so glad he was wearing the scapular! May he rest in peace! Congrats on all the babies coming. 🙂 and the boys book looks great, awesome. 🙂
Amazing. Beautiful smiles, beautiful colours, beautiful work… Death and birth… (I just had my baby three weeks ago.) I prayed when I read about your brothers wayward life and cheered when I saw the scapular. Great gifts from God. Thank you for sharing.
My 15 year old daughter really wants to go to Chartes. I afraid of letting her go to France.
I look forward to the posts from your site it’s a daily digest of inspiring and encouraging articles to help us to heaven. Thank you! God bless you!
Thank you for sharing your gorgeous photos! I will pray for your family, living and dead as well as on the way! I will also pray for the girls to be able to go to France. What an amazing opportunity for them!
I love all your posts, but your family updates are always my favorite! Congratulations on so many little blessings coming! How wonderful! Praying for your family, as always!
What a fun post to read! Thanks for sharing your family with us! Prayers continuing for Rosie!
Wow, the best part to read today is that they found the scapular on Steve! We continue to pray for Rosie!
I love all the pictures! What great news about Steve. Prayers for his soul.
Thank you for the update and the lovely pictures!
Love the pictures. Wish I could have gone to the Shakespeare festival those handmade items are so pretty! Sorry about Steve by the way, that’s good that they found a scapular on him!
Thank you for the updates. I continue to pray for Rosie. And, that is such good news about finding the scapular on your brother Steve.
The family photos are wonderful. Thank you for sharing.
I love looking at your family photos with my daughter, very inspiring; thank you!
Love the pictures. Wish I could have gone to the Shakespeare festival those handmade items are so pretty! Sorry about Steve by the way, that’s good that they found a scapular on him!
I literally cried at the picture of the scapular. God is good! Excited to see the bumper crop of babies!
Thank You for the lovely photos. I am always happy to receive your posts. They are so uplifting. God Bless Rosie and all of your family.
Joan
Your six married couples will be in my prayers for safe deliveries. Rosie is always in my prayers. Your family photos are enjoyable. Thank You for sharing. Thank You for the giveaway.
Marilyn
This is a very generous giveaway. The books are beautiful as is the doily. Your brother has been in my prayers as is Rosie. Prayers for safe deliveries for the six married couples.
Marion
How wonderful is our Faith and the fruits of living it even in this world.
These are my favourite kinds of posts. Thank you! 🙂
Lovely! So wonderful to have so many new babies!
Wonderful snaps of life, thanks for sharing so encouraging! I’ve been following since early this summer, and am really glad to have purchased your gratitude journal! God bless you and all those around you, your page and posts are truly inspiring for me!
Praise be to God for His mercy that your brother was wearing the brown scapular! Eternal rest grant unto Him, O Lord, and may Perpetual Light shine upon him. amen.
What a wonderful display of pictures! Peter sure looks like he’s a daddy’s boy 💙 Angelo and Eddie , my how they have grown !
Gin is wonder women ! She achieves so many things , all while being a great mom and wife! She’s a wonderful example for me !
Those books are fabulous for any child ! Excited !
Thank you for the daily inspiration and edifying literature. Will keep your whole family and your brother’s soul in our prayers. Happy Autumn!
Thank you for the update and all the lovely pictures of your family and some of the projects you’ve been up to these past months.
Once again, I am so sorry for the loss of your brother, but what a comfort that you were able to see that he had been carrying those precious “statements” of faith.
I will keep Rosie in my prayers, and though I do not always comment, please know that your blog is a continual source of encouragement and light to me and so many others.
God Bless you all..
Yay, I was hoping you would make a boy’s journal.
Prayers coming for Rosie & your brother. Please pray for my family as well.
Y’all are so creative, and I always enjoy seeing what you’re up to now.
Hello, First, thank you for all you do to help us live a joyful Catholic life. I noticed that you stated you are going to answer some questions in a post coming soon. I wondered if you might add a few of mine to your list to answer? How did you decide things like when your girls could pierce their ears, shave their legs, and or wear makeup?
I am so very sorry for your loss. How wonderful it must have felt to discover that he’d been wearing that scapular! I got chills when I saw that picture. I really enjoy these update posts. You have such a wonderful family. God bless all of you, and thank you for the giveaway!
Thank you for sharing your family photos with the rest of you. God has truly blessed you and your family. May the soul of your brother rest in peace, Amen. God bless you all.
Lovely to see all your family photos 🙂.
That’s nice that you have prepared a book for the boys as well.
God bless!