I'm not sure my heart was ever, truly, prepared for the beauty of Luke's first communion day. Now that I've had a few weeks to process it all, I'll do my best to capture it in words. You can bet there will be lots of photos, too. Today, I'll share the joy of the sacrament and later this week, you'll get all the party details. A few days before the big weekend, Luke and I trotted up to the church to take some photos, without all the crazy, and I'm so glad we did that. It made First Communion day much less stressful. We arrived bright and early to the church, right after our coolers leaked water all over the floor because we forgot to seal the plugs. #storyofmylife At … [Read more...]
Sacramental Gift Ideas for Baptism, First Communion & Confirmation
Disclosure: A few of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I earn a small commission if you click through and place an order. It's an email I get at least once a week - people in search of the "just right" gift for the "just right" kid for a multitude of sacraments. Since we've celebrated six baptisms, five (almost!) first communions and one confirmation, we've seen and been recipients of some of the most meaningful and beautiful gifts. So I decided to dish - in one place - the best ideas I've got. And, please, if you're a business owner and you aren't mentioned here, leave your shop link in the comments! If you like winning free things, visit me … [Read more...]
Celebrating Catholic Sacraments, Like a Boss
Y'all know me and parties. Like a bee to honey. For many of us, it's sacrament season - baptism, First Communion or confirmation. The trifecta! This year, we're celebrating confirmation (hooray!) and next year will be our fifth First Communion. I do so love inhaling holy oils. Sometimes, the joy of the day gets overshadowed by all the things we worry about. Here, I share my five best tips for loving the day, loving the people there to celebrate and loving your faith. Keep the focus on the Sacrament. Whether you're celebrating your child's baptism, First Communion or confirmation, keep the focus there. On Jesus. It's easy to get lost in the details, find yourself obsessing over the … [Read more...]
First Communion: The Beauty of the Day
When I cried opening the cookie box, I knew it would probably be a good idea to wear waterproof mascara. Having three First Communions under my belt, one would think I know what to expect. But the Holy Spirit surprises me every time. When Will celebrated his, my brother was kneeling next to me. He grabbed my arm and gave it a squeeze just as I started to fall apart. I won't ever forget that moment. With John Paul, I nearly missed the big moment. Luke started fussing and I beelined for the back. But, just as John Paul approached the priest, I spotted an open seat...just feet away from him and got a front row seat. What a moment. Sweet Anna-Laura's celebration involved my husband … [Read more...]
First Communion: The After Party
Y'all will get the full 411 on Clare's big day this week. But first, let's talk sugar and fajitas, shall we? If you've been reading the blog for any amount of time, you know how much I dig the party. Always have. Just ask my mom. A few weeks ago, I shared how to plan a feast for a sacramental celebration and today? Today I'm showing you how all that came together at our house. I can assure you of this. It was great fun. It was all about our First Communicant. Her full name is Clare Rose and that served as the inspiration for the whole day. When guests came in the door, they were greeted by this {yes, those are edible flowers/cookies}. That vase you spy has a beautiful … [Read more...]
