Category Archives: Smorgasbord ‘n Smidgens

VdP Catholic Family Life Gallery January 2020

14 Tuesday Jan 2020

Posted by in Advent/Christmas, Smorgasbord 'n Smidgens

≈ 9 Comments

Ah! Catholic Family Life! There is nothing like it.

Home should not be just a place. Rather, it must be the place. All else should be “outside.”

Home should be the center of activities and interests. It was built for births, courtship, marriage, and death. It is maintained so that children might grow, trained by precept and example – so that they will develop spiritually, mentally, and emotionally, just as they do physically.  -Fr. Lovasik

Below is a gallery of our doing’s in the last month. Don’t forget to read the comments to get the (amazing! hehe) narrative. And don’t forget to click on the first picture to view the gallery!

Merry Christmas! 2019

24 Tuesday Dec 2019

Posted by in Advent/Christmas, Smorgasbord 'n Smidgens

≈ 26 Comments

Back Row: Rosie, Angelo and Margy  Front Row: Gemma, Leane, Vincent, Hannah

Well, here we are, it is Christmas Eve. The Advent season has quickly passed (seems quicker each year!), and we have had many, many joys along the way. When compared to last year (Rosie was looking at pictures and became quite overcome with emotion) we are happy! Things aren’t perfect (are they ever?) and Rosie struggles, but things are much more light-hearted!

Rosie plans to sing at Midnight Mass. I think she is foolish but…ah…we were all foolish once, right? It will make me quite nervous (she crashes around 7 p.m. these days and goes straight to her room), but, oh well…

Theresa did a foolish thing last year when we were going through a lot. She offered to help decorate here, did such a good job, that we had her come again this year! She should have hid that talent! As if she doesn’t have enough to do??!!

But we had a good time with music, homemade hot chocolate, and just good comaraderie! You can see some of the decorations on the slide show in our Family Rosary Video. I will also post photos sometime soon….

Margy is in the midst of wedding plans. She is very systematic at it and I have no doubt, with much help from experienced sisters, that she will be ready when the time comes! Her wedding date is May 16th…so this is our last Christmas with her. She is a light in our lives and has made dinners since Jeanette left. We…and our stomachs….will miss her!

Hannah and Gemma have both been very busy this year with school, looking after nieces and nephews, their Grandma and their aunt, choir, piano, violin, and other such stuff. They are both planning on going to Chartres in the spring for a Pilgrimage…

You have all seen what Angelo has been up to…with his Crafting Video. He is a leader and is always thinking of things to do with his younger nieces and nephews. He is busy with altar serving, helping with Grandma, fixing things around here, painting with his brothers and brother-in-law and school.

My hubby, Vincent, is always busy. He works for our son-in-law and with his two sons painting. Vincent has always been an incredibly hard and dedicated worker, he loves his family and is adept at enjoying the moment!

As for myself, I am first committed to my Faith and seek ways to grow in it each day, and then dedicated to my family and love them all so dearly. I have a resolution I am slowly working on….to become a better Grandma, to really listen to them when they talk to me, to be interested in their lives. That will be a life-long journey, but one worth working towards.

I am also dedicated to my website. My family supports me in this endeavor, which means very much to me! I am hoping, in the future, to open a Patreon Page so that those of you who enjoy this website can help with your support to get more videos out…with added perks for your support. Stay tuned…

And now….My Christmas Gift to you is a Triduum (that means 3 in a row) of Masses said for you and your intentions by Father VanderPutten in Nigeria. Your support has meant much to me. May God bless you all and have a very Merry Christmas! ❤

 

Vin, Gin and Family…with number 9 on the way! (Due in about 3 weeks)

Dev & Theresa and family with number 5 on the way! (Due in January sometime.)

Colin and Z and family….with Baby Charlotte doing well and growing fast!

Mike and Jeanette and family….with number 4 on the way! (This is where I lose track of who is due when….)

Dom and Sarah and Family with number 3 on the way!

***Missing is Sep and Molly with number 7 on the way! (They have 6 boys). One day I will wring a picture out of them!

A Christmas meditation for you….

Stable, St. Nicholas Day, Charlotte, Tids ‘n’ Bits…. A Gallery

09 Monday Dec 2019

Posted by in Advent/Christmas, Baby Charlotte, Smorgasbord 'n Smidgens

≈ 15 Comments

Still at home, besties ….Hannah, Rosie, Angelo, Margy, Gemma

Beware….You are about to have a photo overload! I had my phone ready this year and so…..pictures! I thought you’d enjoy them…Click on the first picture to view the gallery…

Happy Thanksgiving from Finer Femininity!

27 Wednesday Nov 2019

Posted by in FF Tidbits, Seasons, Seasons, Feast Days, etc., Smorgasbord 'n Smidgens

≈ 3 Comments

May your Thanksgiving Day be filled with blessings! I am thankful for you, your prayers and support! ❤

Some inspirational quotes

Mothers,  on Thanksgiving, know how very special you are. You are the essence, the heart of your home. Your smile lightens the burdens, your words brighten the hearts of those who will be part of your festivities. The tone of this special family time is set by you! We, as mothers, are privileged to have such an important part in the making of our homes! May your day be filled with grace and love! ❤

This Thanksgiving let us offer up our little inconveniences, our stresses, our fatigue for those less fortunate than ourselves. And, on the flip side, let’s start becoming more aware of the little things and thanking God for them.

“After committing a fault of whatever kind, rather than withdrawing into ourselves indefinitely in discouragement and dwelling on the memory, we must immediately return to God with confidence and even thank Him for the good that His mercy will be able to draw out of this fault!

We must know that one of the weapons that the devil uses most commonly to prevent souls from advancing toward God is precisely to try to make them lose their peace and discourage them by the sight of their faults.”
Searching For and Maintaining Peace, Fr. Jacques Philippe https://amzn.to/2pSwDmQ (afflink)

 

Thank God for His many blessings. Make the most of each and every day. Enjoy the journey. The world will keep whizzing by but we must take time to smell the roses. Each day is a gift, each person in your life is special. Take nothing for granted.

“For me, prayer is an aspiration of the heart, it is a simple glance directed to heaven, it is a cry of gratitude and love in the midst of trial as well as joy!” ❤❤❤-St. Therese of Lisieux

Be attentive to the sacrifices your husband makes for the family. Each day he battles the world, the flesh and the devil out in the workforce for you. Don’t let that go unnoticed. Thank him often! Appreciate him. -Finer Femininity

Discussing the dynamics of Catholic family life…

Black Friday Sale!

Check it out! Books by Leane. Package Special! Includes all 17 Books! Savings of 200.00! Available here. 


Author Mary Reed Newland here draws on her own experiences as the mother of seven to show how the classic Christian principles of sanctity can be translated into terms easily applied to children even to the very young.

Because it’s rooted in experience, not in theory, nothing that Mrs. Newland suggests is impossible or extraordinary. In fact, as you reflect on your experiences with your own children, you’ll quickly agree that hers is an excellent commonsense approach to raising good Catholic children.

Fr. Lawrence Lovasik, the renowned author of The Hidden Power of Kindness, gives faithful Catholics all the essential ingredients of a stable and loving Catholic marriage and family — ingredients that are in danger of being lost in our turbulent age.

Using Scripture and Church teachings in an easy-to-follow, step-by-step format, Fr. Lovasik helps you understand the proper role of the Catholic father and mother and the blessings of family. He shows you how you can secure happiness in marriage, develop the virtues necessary for a successful marriage, raise children in a truly Catholic way, and much more.

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support.

Tea-Time with Finer Fem – Prenatal/Pregnancy Info, Modesty, Board Games, Facial Moisturizer, etc.

22 Friday Nov 2019

Posted by in Smorgasbord 'n Smidgens, Tea-Time With FinerFem - Questions/My Answers

≈ 11 Comments

I am looking for a recommendation on a book for good prenatal information that discusses what to expect in pregnancy (changes and such) and postpartum. I appreciate any suggestions you have to offer.

I had a few books that particularly helped me throughout my pregnancies and nursing times. If you ladies have any more suggestions, please do tell!

Just a bit of a disclaimer….I am recommending these books because of the good I got from them. I don’t necessarily agree with all in the book…

Commonsense Childbirth by Desi Lest Hazell (I remember this one assisting a lot in the decision of homebirth …we had our first 9 at home.)

What to Expect When You are Expecting by Heidi Murkoff (I have not read this one but notice a lot of the women like it.) And this is probably the one that best answers your question above….

Made for This: The Catholic Mom’s Guide to Birth (as suggested here.)

The Fourth Trimester: A postpartum guide to healing your body, balancing your emotions, and restoring your vitality. (as suggested here.)

Breast Feeding and Natural Childspacing by Sheila Kippley (Our good priest gave me this one before we got married…when I knew nothing!)

Nursing Your Baby by Karen Pryor (I picked this one up often when there were questions or bumps along the way.)

The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding by Diane Wiessinger (This one is good, too, and the official LaLeche league book.)

Breastfeeding and Catholic Motherhood: God’s Plan for You and Your Baby by Sheila Kippley (I haven’t read this one but am getting it for one of my daughters.)

I want to ask if you would be willing to share with me how you taught your daughters to be modest in their dress and how you kept them from giving in to wearing immodest clothing?

Well, I wish I could give you some links like the above question and then the problem would be solved!

I would say…

We began early. We set our standards at a young age, my husband and I working together and on board.

We talk to our girls. We have talked about modesty, they have listened to some of Colleen Hammond’s talks and we have read her book, Dressing With Dignity, together. It all makes sense as Catholics trying to live our faith.

We present modesty in a positive light…reminding them of their dignity and beauty when dressed like a woman. That doesn’t mean we don’t let them know how immodesty leads to sin….but that is not our total focus.

We have been careful of the influences of others. Children are vulnerable.

I have been an example of modesty myself. It is important that Mom practices what she preaches.

We have fun with clothes. We appreciate pretty materials and outfits. We dress for the seasons. We will go shopping for clothes for ourselves and each other. Thrift stores abound if money is an issue.

What kind of board games do you play with your family?

Games are where it is at over here! So here is my list:

Card Games  – Pitch is the latest rage. Cards can be so much fun. And they are inexpensive!

Pictionary (An old-time favorite that gets very loud!)

Apples to Apples (This is an easy game to play and fun with a crowd)

Carcasonne (Two or more people can play this…we like it a lot!)

Ticket to Ride (This is a very fun game. There is also a Europe edition)

Code Names (We play this often with our priests. What a great game to exercise your thinking power! There is a Code Names Pictures, too!)

Scattergories (Always a lot of fun!)

5 Second Rule (A game of speed and quick thinking skills)

Spot it! (A visual perception speed game)

Hello, I recently found your page. The article you shared today about loving your husband and marriage was very nice. One of the things was along the lines of caring for your appearance. Do you happen to have a recommendation for facial skin care cleanser and moisturizer? Thank you.

As far as a cleanser, we use just a natural soap bar. Freshly squeezed lemon juice is a good astringent.

The following recipe is for a fantastic moisturizer, skin smoothing, healing oil!  My girls love it and use it for their faces, stretch marks and any other skin flaw.

2 Tbsp. sesame oil

2 Tbsp. avocado oil

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 Tbsp. almond oil

10,000 I.U. Vitamin E

200,000 USP units Vitamin A

A drop of your favorite natural scent (optional)

Pour the oils into an empty bottle or small jar. Take 10 gelatin capsules of Vitamin E (1,000 I.U. each) and 8 capsules of Vitamin A (25,000 units each). Puncture the capsules with a needle , or cut the ends off with scissors, and squeeze the contents into the bottle. Add a drop or two of your favorite natural scent, close the cap tightly, and shake well. Store in refrigerator.

(This recipe is from the book Swedish Beauty Secrets by Paavo Airola)

How can I keep the heart of my children?

By spending time with them. If you regularly push them aside as if they are bothersome to you, you will lose their hearts. You must sacrifice to be with them.

This does not mean that you have to be habitually at their beck and call. But you do need to take the time to play with them, work with them, pray with them. Listen to them.

You don’t have to be there physically for them at all times, but as long as they know you are there for them, your chances of losing their hearts will go way down!

A few photos…. (Click on the first photo to view gallery.)

 

 

 

 

 

Chit-Chat, A New Book Giveaway and Photos

22 Tuesday Oct 2019

Posted by in Give-Aways, Smorgasbord 'n Smidgens

≈ 35 Comments

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)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tids ‘n’ Bits and a Gallery

28 Wednesday Aug 2019

Posted by in FF Tidbits, Smorgasbord 'n Smidgens

≈ 11 Comments

Summer is quickly passing and we are back on track with school. Rosie is slowly getting better. Her headaches are still intense but she is able to spend much time outside in the garden before she succumbs to them and goes to her room. I can’t believe that it has been a year since she told us of her plans to enter the convent and got the call from the sisters saying she was accepted! It’s been quite a journey! Lots of tears, lots of growth….

We had a wonderful visit from our friend, Father Janosch Donner, a German priest just ordained at the end of June. I am sharing pictures today of that visit and other tidbits of our summer.

***I started this post before we got news that my dear brother, Steve, was found in his camper passed away. It has been a hard couple of days, especially for my dear Mom who was in constant contact with him the last few years…many texts a day. She tried not to worry when she didn’t receive any texts on Friday…but by Sunday she was very worried. She got the call on Monday, when the “wellness check” proved the worst. (There were no signs of foul play or him taking his own life…for as rough as his life had become, he was a surprisingly upbeat fellow). This is the second son Mom has lost. Please say a prayer for him, if you don’t mind. He needs it…

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him….

Here is the gallery of our happy summer days…