When we sacrament, you can bet there will be a party. Luke's First Communion was a MAJOR cause for celebration. After the big day, we hosted friends and family back at the house. I think there were 30-ish?! A few weeks ago, I shared an Instagram Live about how I prepare for parties and how I believe anyone can be a hostess. It's true! I do! But the main message is this: don't let the size of your house, your budget, your personality type or your fear hold you back from opening your home to people you love. People come to see you, not how clean you keep your toilets. #truestory We cooked fajitas for the main meal and had those (almost) ready when folks arrived. Mama forgot … [Read more...]
Milestone after Milestone: Luke’s First Communion
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...]
