Weekly Roundup

What I liked:

...being able to witness the profession of Br. Miguel Marie on Tuesday.  One of the many benefits of living next to an abbey!

...some friends from a neighboring state coming over to spend the day.  We all had lots of fun, and there was hardly a moment when we weren't all laughing.

...finding some new heels for Easter at a decent price!

...finding a new consignment store called The Echo Shop! They're a little pricier than Goodwill, but the quality is MUCH nicer.  I was able to get a black Maxi dress and a denim vest for a very decent price!

...my brother downloading the Duolingo App on my mom's phone.  It certainly helps with learning French, that's for sure!

...Mom's new "Better Than Lara Bars"...they really are!

What I Didn't:

...more cold, gray, rainy weather.  I'm ready for Spring!

...getting several "Frozen" ringtones for my phone...only to find out later they don't work.

...yet another person asking me "Are you really nineteen?" (Sigh.)

...my sheet music STILL not coming in.  It was shipped back to the supplier because it was damaged (a likely story) and is now supposed to come in Monday.

...having to fast all morning and drive an hour away to get my blood work done.  Did I mention that if I don't eat every three hours my blood sugar drops drastically?

...getting stuck with the newly hired cashier at the grocery store.  I had to explain to her how to check out some of the items...I am not kidding.

...having the Algebra Blues...not me, my little brother, but I've had them before and I can sympathize.

...seeing a policeman pull out in front of me and saying "I'm being good, I'm being quiet, I'm being 'have."... and no one getting it.

What I Accomplished:

...driving an hour away to Mass and driving through town afterwards! Without running into anything!

...making grain-free, dairy-free, meatloaf!

...my first storm novena.  I followed a good friend's recommendation and prayed it every half hour as opposed to every hour...I was rather flurried by the end.

...winning at carpet ball for six games in a row!

What Made Me Laugh:

...telling Mom I needed some "nude" heels for Easter and my brothers overhearing.  Their jaws dropped and they look positively scandalized, so now I refer to them as tan.

...a sign in the shoe store that said "Five Dollar Charge For Whining".  I want one of these in my house...

...this picture:

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...the look on my brothers' and their friends' faces when I said "After Earth" was a "cute" movie.

How was your week?

What Every WELL-DRESSED Girl Should Own...

Hi there! First of all, you might have noticed that I have made a few changes on my blog...for instance changing the name from "Happy Homemaking" to "Valiant Daughters".  The main reason for this is that I Googled "Happy Homemaking" and the list of blogs was...quite long.  I decided on the name "Valiant Daughters" because I believe we should all be striving to become like the Valiant Woman in Proverbs 31.  Now with that said...

Scarves are one of the most helpful things a girl can keep on hand.  You can dress up virtually anything with a pretty scarf, and turn a boring outfit into something stylish instantly.  As an added bonus, scarves are a lovely way to make a shirt more modest and there are hundreds of ways to tie them! The scarf I'm wearing in the picture was a birthday gift from a friend, and is one of my favorite accessories.

A very versatile piece of clothing that will always be in style! You can dress it up or down depending on your top, and can wear it in any season.  I have a cotton knit one that is not-a-maxi-skirt-but-looks-just-like-one and it has to be the most comfortable skirt I own.  I wear it for everything from bouncing on the trampoline, to road trips, to going to Mass.

After a black skirt, this is probably the most important base garment to keep in your wardrobe.  Everything goes with brown! I actually have three brown skirts because they're not quite as versatile as black ones and it's harder to dress them up, but depending on the style, you can pair it with almost anything.

My mom and I have been using these for years...and we L-O-V-E them! Lilla-Rose has the best hair accessories I have ever used...they look so stylish and feminine, yet they are very reasonably priced! These clips come in all sorts of sizes and style, and do a wonderful job of holding your hair up!

Every girl should own at least one pretty hat.  People who wear nice hats (whether male or female) always stand out to me as being well-dressed and respectable.  I love hats in general, particularly fedoras and those big, floppy beach hats that are so fashionable right now! They're are also a great remedy for Bad-Hair-Days...

How many of these items do you have in your closet? What would you add to the list?

Living At Home

"...the Holy Child is my model, my strength, my consolation; in short, He is the complete joy of my heart.  He is my model of patience and resignation, Who teaches me by His example, as He rests silently in the crib, content to wait thirty-three years before consuming His sacrifice, to the glory of His Father...Therefore I am content to wait together with Him...But what was the chief occupation of Jesus during His Childhood, I ask myself.  The answer is that He was ever intent on glorifying God's Holy Name..."

I recently read this paragraph in "The Golden Arrow" by Sr. Mary of St. Peter (a wonderful book by the way, and well worth reading, especially for Lent!) and it struck me as being a great subject for meditation by stay-at-home-daughters.  We all tend to get a little restless as the years go by, and we feel that our lives are being wasted by remaining at home instead of doing something "useful" like everyone else.  I had never thought much about the fact that Our Lord spent thirty years living at home with His family before He began living His vocation.  It seems you can find an example in the life of Our Lord for every situation and state of life! While He lived at home, Our Lord was not idle or dependent on His parents; on the contrary, we can be sure that He was a huge help and comfort to St. Joseph and Our Lady.  During this time that we are waiting to know God's Will for our lives, we should try to imitate Our Lord's childhood and young adult years as well as we can.  For instance...

Building Our Spiritual Life...

I used to know a girl who always seemed to be unable to say anything for herself on religious matters. When we would talk about anything religious, everything she said was repeated directly from her parents.  While it is definitely a good idea to learn from and listen to your parents, she carried it a little to far by being uninterested in learning anything on her own, or even researching the things her parents told her.  When another friend commented on this, she said that when she got married she would build her own spiritual life, but while she lived under her parent's authority she would just do whatever they thought was necessary.  This is a very distorted view of living of home, and not a very Godly one.  You shouldn't delay building your spiritual life for ANYTHING, and the responsibility for it's growth belongs ultimately with you, not with your parents.  The time we are spending at home is meant to be a time of preparation for the life ahead of us, when we will most likely not have as much time as we do now.  A good priest I know once told me that before I got married, I needed to have a strong religious foundation that would be enough to last me through my whole life, because once I had a family of my own, I would be busy with more worldly cares (groceries, a clean house, home-schooling, etc.), and would be hard pressed for time to grow spiritually, at least in the beginning.  Learning from our parents is one very important part of growing in our spiritual life, but we need to learn and research our Faith ourselves.  It's much harder to shake someone's faith if they have learned and lived it themselves, than if they are merely imitating their parents.

Learning Accomplishments...

A lot of people believe that accomplishments are just things girls use to "catch" a husband.  Apparently they think young men are going to review every eligible young woman's list of skills before they decide to pay any attention to her.  In my experience (and I have four brothers), the only accomplishment that usually attracts male attention is the ability to cook well (a young man I know even told me once that the best way to get a guy to like you is to either cook him something really nice or buy him a box of cigars.  I am not exaggerating :)).  But we're not supposed to be trying to "catch" a husband, are we? When God's pre-ordained time comes for you to meet your prince, it will happen! In the meanwhile, you should be learning different skills and accomplishments not to attract a husband, but to bring joy to your family and to grow in virtue.  Not to mention all the fun you will have learning and improving yourself! Living at home should be just that; living! Your life at home is not just an "in-between" time; it's your chance to make yourself into the person you will be for the rest of your life.  You don't know how long you're going to be waiting for God to call you away and you should be learning and growing now instead of waiting until you find your vocation.  Learning to play an instrument, to cook and bake, to sew, to knit, or any of the hundreds of others feminine accomplishments is a wonderful and enjoyable way to spend your time and will be useful to you and your family, right now and in the future.  And an intelligent, accomplished woman is so rare nowadays, there will be no need for her to "catch" a godly husband.

Our Lord's Childhood was hidden and unnoticed by the world, and yet we could never number all the many graces He bestowed and miracles He performed while He prepared for His mission from His Almighty Father.  While we live at home we should take the Child Jesus as our model and ask Our Lady to help us grow to be as holy, productive, and ready for our vocations as her Divine Son was.

Holy Child Jesus, pray for us!

Weekly Roundup

Hi everyone! I hope your week has been lovely!

Blessings

...all the wonderful feast days this week! It's delightful to have a nice break from the rigors of Lent.

...having a party with some close friends to celebrate the feasts of St. Patrick, St. Benedict, and St. Joseph.  We sang karaoke, drank root beer, bounced on the trampoline, and swung on the hammock, and everyone agreed it was a "sequence of continuous delights". 

...Earl Grey tea...drinking a cup before bedtime is a wonderful way to wind down.

...my brother baking some Paleo sandwich bread...it was HEAVENLY.

...ordering the sheet music to "Weep You No More Sad Fountains" and "The Dreame" from Sense and Sensibility.  I have wanted to play these for a while, and finally found them on Amazon for only five dollars!

Penances

...trying to feed a friend's little boy and getting spaghetti sauce all over myself.  It seems I need some practice in this area.

...a suspicion that dairy might be affecting me again, and deciding not to have any more for a while.

...UPS not delivering my package when they were scheduled to.

...burning my hand on the trampoline from doing cartwheels.

Accomplishments

...learning to play "Set Fire To The Rain" on the piano!

...playing "Spider" on the trampoline with some toddler friends so well that they insisted that I be "it" for the rest of the day.

...teaching my brother some new kettle-bell exercises.

...beating my younger brother at backgammon.  I think this is the first time ever!

...making caramel filled chocolate hearts for St. Patrick's Day.

How was your week?

Weekly Roundup...

Hello there! This has been quite a busy week for me, with leaving the house four days in a row and then sewing, knitting, helping the boys with their school, trying some new Paleo recipes, and exercising when I was home.  I hope your week has been as productive!

Blessings:

...finally(!)  finding a pair of casual shoes for only seven dollars (every other pair I have found in this style has been at LEAST thirty dollars, but this pair was on sale!) I love them...they're so comfortable and my brother told me "they're so ugly they're actually cool" I think that means he liked them...

...finding enough lovely material for only ONE DOLLAR A YARD(!) to redo all the curtains in the dining room

...starting a quilting class taught by one of our neighbors.  I've wanted to learn for a long time, and it's lovely to get to learn with your friends and neighbors instead of strangers! And we get to drink tea while we're working...

...trying Guava flavored Kombucha for the first time.  And I thought I liked the strawberry flavor!

... sharing a long phone call with a dear friend, and talking about exorcism stories.  Right before going to bed, I might add. :0 

...signing up for the Primal Palate Meal Plan.  Lots and lots of wonderful recipes, and you can organize them into your own menus to save!

...picking up our two pigs we just had processed.  We had baby back ribs on Wednesday...mmmmm...

...lovely, sunny, warm days all week! The boys and I have been doing all our reading on the porch swings, and we've had all the windows open!

...discovering these amazing snacks at Whole Foods called Plantain Chips.  They taste just like potato chips, but are much better for you!

...finding a recipe for CHOCOLATE COVERED PALEO DOUGHNUTS!!! I "can" "not" "wait" to try these!

...singing "A Thousand Years" on the karaoke machine with my brothers when they both had colds and sore throats...I was sorely tempted to record it. 

Penances:

...Ember days.  They always seem to sneak up on you, then right as you're about to snack on something... you remember "Oh, wait, it's an Ember day..."

...REALLY strong winds coming up all of a sudden while you're in town.  It's always embarrassing having to bend over almost all the way to hold your skirt down while running for cover.

...Best Buy employees waiting around every corner, ready to spring out and sell you something, and having to say "I'm fine, just browsing." over and over.

...Academy employees (or lack thereof) who are no where to be found when you need them.

Accomplishments:

 ...making new curtains and altar cloths for the dining room

...using the credit card at Sams for the first time, and only having to ask the cashier for help ONCE.

...getting caught up on all my letters.  For this week at least. :)

...learning to do flips and cartwheels on the trampoline without my skirt flying up.  For some reason, everyone who I tell about this exclaims "You can do flips?" Is it really that astounding?

...doing my Kettle Bell Workout with a twenty-five pound weight! Of course I can hardly move today...

How was your week?

Overnight Eyelash Treatment

Hi everyone! Today I have a all natural beauty trick for long, thick. healthy eyelashes.  I learned this from a pamphlet I read at a health food store and have been using it for several months now.

All you need is castor oil, an old mascara container and a brush (make sure it's clean!)! Our eyelashes don't require a lot of care and attention, but they do need moisture every now and then to stay flexible and long.

Every night before you go to bed, gently spread some of the oil on your lashes and leave on all night.  In the morning, wash your face as usual and say hello to healthier eyelashes!

Do you know any other benefits of castor oil?

What Every INDUSTRIOUS Girl Should Own...

This has to be one of the best inventions of the modern age! On busy days when your running behind and don't have time to make a complicated meal, you can throw a random mix of ingredients in this wonderful contraption, leave it on for a few hours, and, voila! you have a delicious, warm meal for your grateful family!

 Another great invention...there is almost no limit to what you can do with one of theses! Nut butters, chopped nuts, apple-sauce, grated cheese, shredded veggies, potato chips, french fries...the list is almost endless!

Having one of these and knowing how to use it can drastically cut down on your clothing and even home decorating costs! I sew most of my own clothes and Mom and I make all our own table cloths, place mats, napkins, and curtains.  Once you know the basics of sewing, you can make practically anything you want just by following a pattern, or even making your own! You can also repair your clothes when they start wearing out, instead of having to throw them away and buy something else.

Any hardworking girl knows the importance of a good apron that covers your clothes, is easy to move around in, and looks pretty enough to make you want to wear it all the time.  I have a pattern that I LOVE and have found to fit all these requirements.  I make my own from this pattern.

In this age of texting and tweeting, hardly anyone ever sends letters.  As a result, hardly anyone knows how wonderful it is to get a letter in the mail from a friend, written on pretty stationary.  So much more meaning and affection is shown when you take the time to write a letter as opposed to just sending a quick, misspelled text.

If you live in the city, the only real use for rubber boots is for jumping in puddles.  When you live on a farm, though, a sturdy pair of rubber boots are indispensable.  I've gotten a lot of use out of my pair whether I'm walking through water, mud, snow, tall grass, or anything else I happen to run into.

Yes, pocket knives can be feminine.  My brother bought me one at a gun show years ago, and it has been infinitely useful! I carry it in my purse because I never know when I'll need to slice an apple in the car, cut packaging off something, pick a lock (just kidding), or scare off some unsavory character.  Most of the girls in my circle of friends also carry pocket knives wherever they go for the same reasons.

How many of theses things do you keep on hand? What would you add to the list?

Weekly Roundup

Blessings

...our new trampoline!!!

...thoughtful friends who make us Key Lime Fudge

...cherry chia kombucha

...starting "The Golden Arrow"

...cheesecake bites with whipped cream and strawberry sauce for Fat Tuesday

...a brother who makes things like cheesecake bites with whipped cream and strawberry sauce

...a mysterious rash on my arm turning out NOT to be poison ivy

Penances

...a mysterious rash on my arm that is not poison ivy, but still itches like it is

...an unexpected ice storm hitting our community while we were all in Mass

...colds circulating through my family

...doing a flip on the trampoline...and landing on my toe

Accomplishments

...publishing my first post!

...sewing two new summer dresses

...learning to use Photoshop

...Spring cleaning our house, and

... MAKING PALEO GRANOLA!!!

What has your week been like?

Gluten Free, Grain Free, Paleo/Primal Friendly Pizza

It's Ash Wednesday everyone, and that means small, meatless, meals...such as vegetarian pizza!

I didn't manage to get a photo of the finished pizza...it was all gone almost as soon as I took it out of the oven!

Gluten Free, Grain Free, Paleo/ Primal Friendly Pizza Crust:

2 cups of Tapioca Flour
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup butter/shortening
2 eggs
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon of salt

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees Fahrenheit.  Oil a cast iron skillet or pan with olive oil.  Mix dry ingredients until combined.  Cut in butter/shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Gradually add wet ingredients and knead until well mixed.  Flatten crust with your hands inside prepared pan.  Bake for fifteen minutes then remove from oven.  Let cool for five minutes, then cover with your favorite toppings (we like onions, mushrooms, bell peppers, spinach, and cheese) and bake on 550 for fifteen more minutes.  Enjoy!!!

How was your Ash Wednesday?

Holiness...

Hi there!

With Lent just beginning holiness seemed to be a great subject to research, so I dug up some old books and started reading.  Coincidentally, I also just heard a really good sermon on the meaning of holiness a few weeks ago.  I put together all I learned and decided to share it with you all as a sort of introduction to my blog.

So what is holiness?

According to the Catholic Dictionary, holiness is "union with God through morally good acts.  Sanctifying grace is its indispensable basis; for grace unites man to God by allowing him to share in the divine life, and is always accompanied by infused virtues and the gifts of the Holy Ghost.  Mortal sin alone destroys holiness, for it alone deprives the soul of grace.  Progress in holiness, even to a heroic degree, is made by keeping the commandments, the doing of good works and the practice of virtue."

Okay, so lets think about what all this means.

Holiness is "union with God through morally good acts."  What makes an action morally good? When an action is done in accordance with the Will of God, in the state of grace, and is done with the purpose of pleasing Him, it is morally good and unites us to Him.  When a good action is performed without sanctifying grace, it is still good, but it has no merit , because without sanctifying grace we are enemies of God and not in union with Him.  Until we have His Life in us, our souls are dead and can never become holy.  After we are baptized, the only thing that can take sanctifying grace out of our souls is mortal sin, the renouncing of God and His gifts.  Until we confess our sins and receive the absolution of a priest we are living in mortal sin and are barred from Heaven and grace.  Nothing unholy can be in the presence of God, and no one is born holy, so it follows that to be with Him in heaven one day we must grow in holiness, by staying in the state of grace and performing morally good works.   Any action in accordance with the Will of God and offered to Him is a morally good action and brings merit to our souls! For instance, eating temperately is an action in accordance with the Divine Will, so if you offer up your meals to God, you are gaining supernatural graces as well as feeding yourself! It's always best to say a morning offering first thing when you wake up to offer your whole day to our Lord, and then try to offer each action to Him individually as well (this practice also helps you refrain from sinning because it makes you stop and think before you do anything).  By offering our every day as a sacrifice, we are growing in holiness and bringing ourselves closer and closer in union with God.