So, what do you think?

How do you like my new look here?

Something new...

Something new, coming up!

Prayers needed for this girl...

Please say a prayer for this girl who is recuperating from a heart transplant...

"London, England, Jul 31, 2009 / 03:31 am (CNA).- A fourteen year-old British girl who fought last Fall for her ‘right to die,’ has changed her mind and chosen to continue her treatments, including a heart transplant.

In November 2008, Hannah Jones made headlines when medics took the then 13-year old girl to court after she refused a heart transplant, which was weakened by her treatment for leukemia. It was a decision her parents supported.

“Obviously we want to have Hannah with us as long as possible, but we are not going to force her to do something that she doesn’t want to do at this time,” her father, Andrew Jones told The Daily Mail.

At the time Hannah explained that her treatments were getting to be too exhausting and difficult. “I don’t like to be like this but I live with it,” she said..." (Continued here.)

Book contest!

To be entered into a drawing to win a copy of my new book, Mother Teresa and Me: Ten Years of Friendship, leave a comment to this post telling me what you like about Mother Teresa - it can be anything. I will enter all into a drawing and will pick the winner on Tuesday, August 4th, feast of St. John Mary Vianney. So, don't delay. It's easy! Just leave a comment here!

Fifteen Year Old Boy Was Found Safe!

Thank you for your prayers. The teen aged boy who went missing in Texas is now home safe and sound! Thank you, Jesus!

Our Friend

Our Friend’s Son has been Abducted!

Posted using ShareThis

Topping off our week with a contest!

Stop back later on today for details to enter my book-give-away contest here at View From the Domestic Church!

Continuing our Summer Food and Fun Week...

Are you having a cookout or picnic this weekend? Are you thinking of grilling? Here's a recipe for Margarita Grilled Corn on the Cob I came across at Better Homes and Gardens that looks yummy and easy.
Prep time 25 minutes, grill time 25 minutes, Serves 8...

Ingredients
8 ears fresh corn in husks
4 tsp. finely shredded lime peel (peel from 2 to 3 limes)
2 tsp. kosher salt or sea salt
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 tsp. chili powder
Small Limes (optional)
Directions
1. Carefully peel back corn husks, but do not remove. Scrub ears with stiff brush to remove silks. Rinse ears. Pull husks back up around corn. Place in large pot; cover with water. Soak 2 to 4 hours; drain well. Peel back husks and pat corn dry with paper towels.

2. For lime salt, in small bowl stir together lime peel and salt. Brush some of the butter on corn. Sprinkle lightly with lime salt and chili powder. Fold husks back around ears. Tie husk tops with strips of corn husk or 100% cotton kitchen string.

3. For charcoal grill, grill corn on rack of uncovered grill directly over medium coals for 25 to 30 minutes or until tender, turning and rearranging occasionally. (For gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place corn on grill rack over heat. Cover; grill as above.)

4. To serve, remove ties from corn; peel back husks. Pass remaining butter, lime salt, chili powder, and limes for squeezing.

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 8 servings Calories 147, Total Fat (g) 9, Saturated Fat (g) 5, Monounsaturated Fat (g) 2, Polyunsaturated Fat (g) 1, Cholesterol (mg) 20, Sodium (mg) 553, Carbohydrate (g) 17, Total Sugar (g) 3, Fiber (g) 3, Protein (g) 3, Vitamin C (DV%) .1, Calcium (DV%) 0, Iron (DV%) 0, Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet



How about grilled salmon - my personal favorite? This one is dresed with garden mayo. Only 10 minutes prep and 8 minutes to grill.

Ingredients...
4 6- to 8- oz. skinless salmon fillets, cut 1 inch thick
12 oz. asparagus spears
1 Tbsp. olive oil
Sea salt or salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
1. Rinse fish; pat dry. Snap off and discard woody bases from asparagus. Brush asparagus and both sides of salmon with oil. Season both with salt and pepper.

2. For a charcoal grill, place salmon on greased rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals. Place asparagus on grill next to salmon. Grill for 8 to 12 minutes or until asparagus is tender and fish flakes easily, turning fish once halfway through grilling, and turning asparagus occasionally. (For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place fish and asparagus on grill rack. Cover and grill as above.)

3. To serve, arrange asparagus on plates. Top each with salmon. Spoon Garden Mayonnaise mixture on top of salmon. Makes 4 servings

4. Garden Mayonnaise: In a small bowl combine 1/2 cup finely chopped celery (1 stalk), 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions, 1/3 cup mayonnaise, 1 Tbsp. lemon juice, and 2 tsp. snipped fresh tarragon or 1/2 tsp. dried tarragon, crushed. Makes 3/4 cup.

Nutrition Facts
Calories 501, Total Fat (g) 37, Saturated Fat (g) 7, Monounsaturated Fat (g) 9, Polyunsaturated Fat (g) 16, Cholesterol (mg) 107, Sodium (mg) 313, Carbohydrate (g) 6, Total Sugar (g) 3, Fiber (g) 3, Protein (g) 37, Vitamin C (DV%) .3, Calcium (DV%) .1, Iron (DV%) .2, Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet


Stop back later today for some additional ideas. Feel free to share your own recipes in the comment box.

Something Crafty to get you started...

Here's a great little project - making paper dolls! Alice gives us all of the instructions and a free pdf downloadable pattern! Have fun with these by clicking here.



Alice says:
"It's about time for another fun (and free!) downloadable / printable something around here, don't you think? These are little foldable note cards like the ones I had when I was a kid. Simply print and cut apart (Instructions are on page 3 of the PDF.) for instant stationery! You can even print a whole bunch of them and tie up into small bundles for sweet little gifts."
Check out how here

I'll be back later today with some more things to do with your kids. Stop back and visit! And visit tomorrow too for more of our Summer Food and Fun Week here at View From the Domestic Church!

Twenty Fun Ideas for Summer!

Twenty Fun Summer Ideas!

We're only halfway through summer. There's lots more time to have some fun, learn something new, brighten someone's life and so much more! And having fun doesn't have to be expensive! It doesn't have to be complicated either. The simple pleasures in life are the best! Yesterday, two of my older children and I sat down to play a board game together. Imagine that? It was fun and it took us away from routine. Yes, there's routine even in summer. Sometimes you have to break away from your work and get down on the floor with the little ones, as I often write about in my books. And it's wonderful to take time out to enjoy a game or movie with our older kids. I think board games are great! We always have fun and say that we should do it more often.

I came across this list of interesting and fun things to do which I have slightly adapted and thought I'd share it with you.

1)Start some type of collection - Bugs are everywhere and once properly dried can be collected, marbles of every color and shape, coins or whatever may interest the kids. When I was a little girl, I had a stamp collection and was fascinated over all of the different stamps from around the world. Of course, be very careful with little things with your small children. You don't want any one to choke on something!


2)Record and catalog information - What type of birds they have spotted, wild flowers or animals. There is not enough science in schools and what better way to learn than from hands-on experience.


3)Visit the Zoo - But don’t just walk through it and you’re done. Sit and draw the animals, figure out what they’re doing. Research where the animals came from and what do they eat. Have each child pick an animal to research and go back and visit the animal that they're interested in several times. Try to come up with ways to raise money for that animal.


4)Visit the Museum -
Art museum - Have them pick one of their favorite pieces of art and research the artist. Where did they come from and what other works of art are they known for?
History museum - Research their favorite part of history and share what information they have learned. Build a model of that part of history.
Science Museum - Find something that interests them in this area and have them research it. Build a machine or model of their interest.


5)Go to the park - Pack a picnic lunch, invite some friends and have fun.


6)Go fishing - Dust off that old fishing pole and take them fishing. Learn the different types of fish that they could catch. What types of bait to use. Don’t forget that fishing license.


7)Go biking - Pack a small backpack with water, snacks, and drinks.


8)Go hiking - Hit those trails and start walking. Find some trails that you’ve never been on before. Be careful, stay together out in the woods and check for tics later on.


9)Study the architect for buildings and walk around town. Take photos or draw the different designs. Research who came up with those ideas and if those designs are still used today.


10)Go to your Public Library - They have many great things going on all summer long. Summer reading clubs and a great place for resources and research. And they usually have Air Conditioning on those very hot summer days. Yay!


11)Work on a skit or play with your neighborhood kids. Plan out a stage and costumes and invite the rest of the neighborhood for the production.


12) Go to the farmers market to see all the vendors and fresh produce. Buy some fruit or veggies and go home and enjoy!


13)Do community service work - Pick up litter in a park, work in a shelter serving food, or contact someone to find out where they would need help that the whole family could get involved in.


14)Visit the elderly in homes; make cards for them and fresh cookies.


15)Teach the kids how to cook and bake. Great learning experience is measuring and following the instruction on a recipe. The greatest reward is eating what you made!


16)Journals - Have them write down there thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Keep them in the habit of writing.


17)Write letters to friends and family (not email) and send those wonderful works of art that are usually overflowing in your own home to brighten someone's day.


18)Play a game - There are many great board games and for physical games go to the Great Game List http://www.funattic.com/game_list.htm


19)Clean the house or organize a room. Kids love it when we make a list of what has to be cleaned. Each child loves writing down their name next to the item that they have cleaned. The list really motivates them and you're not telling them what to do. Rewards are paid for in all their great and hard work. You can offer them a treat as well. :)


20)Plan a vacation or trip. Research together the area that you’ll be going and get feedback as to what everyone would like to see. Give them a journal and have them write down what they did that day. They may not like doing it most of the time. When they go back the following year and read it they’ll remember the events, usually fond memories.

I'm sure you have many ideas of your own. Would you like to share some with us here? I hope you can fit in a trip to the Blessed Sacrament to visit Our Lord where He waits patiently for us.

Don't forget to stop back tomorrow for something new. I'll give you a hint - it's crafty! Okay, and go get a piece of watermelon, and enjoy!

Teresa Tomeo and I chatting about my new book...

In case you didn't get a chance to tune in to my recent segment with my dear friend, Teresa Tomeo on our "Mom's Corner" segment, you can listen right now. Just grab a drink, pull up a chair and click here! Teresa and I chat about my friendship with Blessed Mother Teresa and my new book about her.

Enjoy!

Donna-Marie

"Recent "Morning Air"

Here's a beter way to listen to my recent "Morning Air" segment in which I spoke all about my new Mother Teresa book coming out very soon! Just click here to listen!

God bless you!

Donna-Marie

Summer Eats!

I absolutely love the outdoors, so I can truly really appreciate Cay's idea for "Summer Eats" below...
Summer Eats

by Cay Gibson

The summer sun has not yet smoldered the southland in a bleached
cloud of heat. The nights are still cool, gentle, forgiving. The grass
is refreshing to bare feet newly freed from their winter’s foyer. The
summer solstice is in prenatal form but fixing to give birth. It is
pulsating with life. Why would we miss a moment of it?

The outdoors was God’s first vision of our preferred home. Trees
protect us from rain and sun. Flowers offer the first air freshener.
Crops barter the first food. In keeping with our homes being the
domestic churches, surely, our yards are the bowers into the home.
They serve as a glimpse into a once beautifully spiritual garden.They
welcome guests to our home. They leave pleasant memories in our
children’s mind of a better time, a better life, a better summer.

Susan Hill instructs: “In summer, the kitchen is not for
lingering in, only for preparing food quickly, wrapping it or dishing
it up, and taking it outside.” Until the evenings become
uncomfortably hot and unpleasant, I plan to take these domestic
instructions to heart.

· Do you have a simple patio table outside? What about a
picnic table? If not, perhaps you have a card table you could set
outside under a nearby tree.

· Find an old table cloth, curtain, or bed sheet…preferably of
fabric and with a floral print. Spread it on your table.

· Set a vase in the center. Have the children pick fresh
flowers to go in it.

· On a corner, set a large bowl or tin bucket. Fill with cold
drink cans and ice cubes. Or fill a pitcher with lemonade or water and set in bucketful of ice.

· Fix a simple tray of po-boy sandwiches. Layer them around
the edges. In the center, spread lettuce and tomatoes.

· Present a bowl of fresh fruits and vegetables.

It’s that simple. It’s that inviting. It’s that summery.

Cay Gibson
Cajun Cottage Under the Oaks

*****************
How beautifully said! Thanks, Cay, for your wonderful contribution to our Summer Food and Fun Week here at View from The Domestic Church.

Do YOU, dear reader, have a fun and easy summer recipe you'd like to share? Please do! And, stop by tomorrow for another installment of our Summer Food and Fun Week!

Recent chat on "Morning Air."

In case you missed it... take a look here.

Summer Week of Food and Fun!

I was just chatting with Teresa Tomeo on our "Mom's Corner" segment which was about traveling light this summer. We reminisced about our very simple summers of our childhood.

A recent Gospel reading (Mark 6:8) struck me which speaks to us about traveling light:

"He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread; no bag; no money in their belts..." This reminds me so much of Mother Teresa and her full surrender to God's providence.

I've been thinking about the family and summer and about how we should try to keep things simple, but pleasant and fun. Sometimes, I think we may have grandiose ideas about what we will accomplish and what lavish vacations we may take. I feel that we can set ourselves up for disappointment.


Some of us will not be traveling this summer due to economic hardships - some are out of jobs and are worried about how they will keep their houses, never mind going on vacation.

I gave an example on the show about how a simple scenario - a park setting and a sunny day, a blanket and two sandwiches opened up a wonderful time for an older daughter and me which we enjoyed just recently. The simple pleasures, right?

What are some things we can do?

~Take day trips

~Go to the park

~Visit the library

~Enjoy fun times in your own back yard

~Plan a pilgrimage to a shrine or basilica, talk about the faith en route, pray a decade of the rosary, visit the church or shrine and explain Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament to the kids. Talk about the saint whose shrine you may visit. Do some research when you get home or prior to your trip.

~Visit the Blessed Sacrament often throughout the summer and bring the kids - Jesus told us, "Bring the children to me..." Work on ways to keep the kids praying and connected to God this summer.

~Spend TIME with one another. This is the best gift and never ceases to become the best experiences.

I'll be posting recipes for food and fun times throughout this week. Stop back each day. I will have guest bloggers too. AND, watch for my book contest!

Teresa and I also spoke about my new book to be relased in September - "Mother Teresa and Me: Ten Years of Friendship." You can pre-order from my website: Donna Cooper O'Boyle.Com

I'll also post a link to my show with Teresa this morning. Stay tuned for that.

What are ways that you keep your summers, safe, fun, and simple? Please do share!

God bless your day!

hugs,

Donna-Marie

Mom's Corner tomorrow - join us!

We're back! And we're waiting to share with you tomorrow morning!

Tune in to "Mom's Corner" on Catholic Connection at Ave Maria Radio on Monday, July 20th at 9:15 to 9:30 AM Eastern Standard Time. Teresa Tomeo and I will be chatting about some summery and motherly things. I hope that you can join us. Feel free to call in with a question or comment.

Tune in at 9:15 AM Eastern Standard Time by clicking here at avemariaradio.net and then click "listen live."

Talk to you then!

God bless!

Donna-Marie

Pre-Orders on "Mother Teresa and Me"!

You can pre-order your autographed copy of my new book, "Mother Teresa and Me: Ten Years of Friendship" by going to my website (scroll to the bottom of the Welcome page). You'll receive your copy before the book hits the store shelves!

Here it is!

Here's a draft of my new book cover. The cover will be fine-tuned and ready for print shortly, but I wanted to give you a visual since I'll be speaking about this book tomorrow morning on "Morning Air" on Relevant Radio (details for tuning in are in yesterdays post). My book will be released in September in time for the month of Mother Teresa's feast and twelfth anniversary of her death. I'll be taking pre-orders for autographed copies at my website: Donna Cooper O'Boyle.Com

Unveiling the draft of my front cover of my Mother Teresa Book

I will be posting a DRAFT of the front cover of my new book very shortly which will be released in September, It's very exciting. Please excuse the draft version. The publisher will get it all cleaned up and ready to print in no time. Since I'll be chatting about my new book tomorrow morning on "Morning Air" (details to tune in are in the post from yesterday), I thought I'd at least give you a visual. I'll also put up details on my website Donna Cooper O'Boyle.Com for pre-ordering. So, I hope you can tune in to the radio show tomorrow. If you're not able to, I'll try to get a link or post a link to the archives.

I'll also be chatting with my dear friend, Teresa Tomeo on Monday morning on "Catholic Connection" Ave Maria Radio about some Catholic mothering - Summer Style! We'll certainly be mentioning other things as well, and perhaps more information about my Mother Teresa book, Mother Teresa and Me: Ten Years of Friendship. I'l be posting details for listening to us on Monday morning sometime tomorrow or Saturday.

May God bless your day in great abundance!

hugs,

Donna-Marie

Chatting about my new book and other good stuff!

I'll be on Relevant Radio LIVE on Friday morning, 8:30 Eastern time. You can listen by simply clicking here and at the top of the screen, you should click on the "listen live" or "on the air" button. I'll be on the "Morning Air" show. It should be fun and hopefully informative. I'll be letting you all in on my new book which is very near and dear to my heart! I hope you can join us.

God bless and hugs,
Donna-Marie

Blessed Kateri Tekawitha

Go on over to my saints' blog to learn a little about Blessed Kateri Tekawitha whose feast day is today.

Tea and Sympathy

Isn't it comforting to sit with a cup of tea and commiserate with a friend, a sister, or a cousin? I've been wanting to set up this "Tea and Sympathy" spot for some time now. Speaking of cousins, I recently had a wonderful dose of "cousin time" the other night when I attended a surprise 50th birthday party for one of my cousins. I saw some relatives that I hadn't seen in quite some time. My cousins and I laughed, shed a few tears and relished in our time together! We promised to stay in better touch with one another and planned a get together in the very near future. It's great to connect with one another to share and just "be" together.

There's nothing like sitting down with someone to chat, to pray and share. With advances in technology that can certainly be used for the good, we are able to come together on the Internet too. Countless social networking sites have been set up where people are connecting and getting back in touch with one another. While we don't want the Internet to suck away precious time that we can be spending with our families and friends here in the flesh or take us away from responsibilities, we know that the Internet also affords us the opportunity to communicate that we wouldn't have otherwise. It can bring us together with like-minded people to evangelize and share.

I'm launching this "Tea and Sympathy" spot to gather with friends, to talk about something that's bothering you, raise ideas, to share, commiserate, and to ask for prayers. You may be anonymous if you're more comfortable. Don't be shy. We are certainly all linked together in one Body of Christ. We are all on this journey through life together!

Come over for a cup of "cyber tea"! What's on your mind? Do tell...


God bless!

Donna-Marie

(PS Be watching for some growth soon to this theme, this is just the launch!)

What's going on in Catholic classrooms?

I am offering a snippet from a Catholic mother's blog post at Upholding Purity in the Catholic Classroom to pique your interest. If you are concerned or the least bit interested in what goes on in our Catholic schools disguised as education, please check out this new blog and unite to help make changes and raise awareness. Here's the excerpt:

"Dear Archdiocese of Mine,

1. Please find suitable materials to teach and offer instruction in these matters. It seems you are still wearing bell-bottoms and large rose colored glasses with this list of "approved" (pardon me while I bite my tongue), ahem, "textbooks"....

2. These are NOT good reasons to steal a divinely appointed period of innocence from our school children! Please-call parents out and demand they pick up their cross in addressing this material (well, no, suitable proper material, is what I mean to say), at home-call them out on their duty! Make parents attend classes on TMHS (etc). Feed us, nourish us, call us to duty! We are required to attend so many things-yet none nearly as important as this! Please explain how God will respond to the enabling of omission of duty-grave omission, on the part of the parents, supported and encouraged by the Church? Who is it exactly that wants us to believe parents aren't up for the job? Is this just easier legally?-feed the children poison and wash our hands in the court of the world like Pontious Pilate?-and then say, they (parents) wanted us to take this obligation off their hands?..."

So, now go on over to and show your support, leave a comment, make a suggestion, do something!

God bless and hugs,

Donna-Marie

My Cup of Tea

Some time ago this article was published at Catholic Mom.Com. I am offering it here today as a dose of inspiration for your day...

My Cup of Tea
By Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle

I rarely sit down for a cup of tea. Even my morning cup is usually drunk on the go. I bring it with me as I go about my various routines around the house or in the car on my way out, seldom allowing myself a few moments to just sit and sip after having eaten my breakfast. More often than not I am usually drinking tea that has gone cold. It’s funny because I am the one always telling everyone else to sit down and relax. I say, “It tastes better sitting down.”

I am quite accustomed to this busy pace though, as a mother of five children and being an author always on a deadline, so I am not complaining. I love my life-hurried pace and all. God is good, I always say, surrounding us with many blessings even amidst the chaos or everyday trials of life.

“Relaxation of the mind from work consists in playful words and deeds. Therefore it becomes a wise and virtuous person to have recourse to such things. It is necessary at times to make use of them, in order to give rest, as it were, to the soul,” we learn from St. Thomas Aquinas in his Summa Theologica.

It’s essential for all of us in all of our walks of life to take a moment here and there to take a breath and really consider whether or not we are actually living in the present moment or are more concerned about yesterday’s happenings or worried about what we are about to embark.

By taking the time out occasionally throughout our days and making a mental note of where our thoughts actually are, we can bring ourselves back to the present moment and ask our Lord how He wants us to spend this moment, all the while praying for His grace, asking to be His instrument to draw others to Him.

Pausing

I have been more cognizant lately, of trying to pause and really take in whatever our Lord gives me-the good and the seemingly bad-everything, knowing that He works through it all and gives us opportunities throughout our days to come closer to Him in all things. Truly, nothing is a coincidence.

Recently, while out on a morning walk down a long dirt road, taking in all the beauty of nature with my senses, I really felt very solidly planted in the present moment. The breeze was gently blowing the leaves on the trees, making patterns on the road, caressing my face and arms with refreshment. The sounds of songbirds filled the air with angelic melodies that our modern day music couldn’t possibly imitate. The morning sun was kissing the back of my neck as I put one foot in front of the other, rosary beads in hand, giving my day to the Lord under the mantle of Mary. I felt very appreciative to be given the gift of that walk out in God’s country.

There was only one problem. Because a horse farm was nearby, a few stray horseflies were circling my head, threatening to bite, diving into me constantly with an annoying boldness and speed. I almost felt as if I would give in to the annoyance and feel annoyed-really annoyed. But no, God gave me the grace at that very moment to say, “Thank you Lord for this day, this wonderful day with all of its beauty and two legs to walk on to enjoy your gift of nature along this walk. And thank you, Lord also for the horseflies.” Lo and behold, they left! They had followed me, diving at me for at least a mile, and after I thanked God for them, they left. I stood there astounded, thanking God for His love and the beauty of our earth and my life and the grace to be present in that moment.

I know the story of these horseflies may seem like a silly example. But, I believe our Lord wants us to thank Him for everything in our lives. If we open our hearts to His love and grace, we will begin to see everything with a greater meaning as we are given more opportunities to get closer to our Heavenly Father. Meanwhile, an example is set for others around us.

Rest for the Soul

In addition to striving to live in the present moment, giving up our worries about our yesterdays and our tomorrows, we must also take the time to sit down and sip that cup of tea, savoring the moment. We need to try to slow down and spend more time with our families, trying our best to hang onto our family dinners and occasions together before they slip by. We need to take a little time out for relaxation to refresh our bodies and souls so that we will be able to meet the challenges each day with vigor and strength. We should seek out the joy in life and find it if we can, even amidst pain or sadness.

Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, whom I have had the great privilege to know, preached that “Joy is a net to catch souls.” Are we allowing Jesus to bring us His joy so that we may radiate it to others? When we do stay still for a moment to listen, do we really want to know what our Lord is trying to tell us?

Are there things in our lives that are just a bunch of clutter, taking up our time and focus? Where can we trim down our schedules so we are not just running from one event to the next? Where can we find the time for more prayer? These are some crucial questions we can ask ourselves. We need to truly seek our Lord from the depths of our hearts, praying that we can be open to His holy will in our lives. We can ask Him to show us the opportunities for grace and moments where we can retreat to our hearts to gaze upon Him who gives us life.

Meanwhile, how about a cup of tea? Come on over, we can sit out on the deck and enjoy our tea and our time together. Would you care for chai, green, black, chamomile, or orange pekoe? I hope you don’t mind a horsefly or two!