Tomorrow, June 24, our local Catholic Church will be having our annual Catholic Kidz Camp (VBS) week and I'm so excited to be able to lead the 1st grade group!  Last year was the first year our church used an authentic Catholic program created by Catholic families for Catholic families/parishes by Growing with the Saints.   We used the Vatican Express program and my posts HERE and HERE tell all about our memorable week!  It was a great faith-filled and fun week and I anticipate the same experience this week!


This year, our children will be exploring assorted saints' lives and the virtues of faith, hope, and love using once again the GWTS program! 

As one of the leaders of the 1st grade group, I will be reading from The Assorted Saints and the Virtues storybook which highlights the lives of 5 wonderful saints from around the world! 

Day 1:  Juan Diego-A Humble and Faithful Servant
Day 2:  Saint Brigid of Ireland-The Saint Who Never Gave Up Hope
Day 3:  Saint Martin De Porres-Martin the Charitable
Day 4:  Saint Nicholas of Myra-The Cheerful Giver
Day 5:  Saint Kateri Tekakwitha-Lily of the Mohawks

If you would like to see an overview of all that we will be doing this week, go HERE.

Not only is the GWTS program fun and exciting for the adults and children, but I love how it teaches about our Catholic faith!  There are so many treasures about Catholicism and I love that GWTS fully embraces the richness of our faith and has organized a program to pass on our faith in such a fun way!  

I just love the mission statement of the Growing with the Saints program....


"Growing with the Saints, Inc. is committed to handing down the Catholic Faith received from Jesus and the apostles. The Holy Spirit is our unseen ever present guide as we prayerfully impart the Catholic faith with its rich tradition. We utilize Sacred Scripture, tradition, and the lives of the saints to accomplish our purpose. We are dedicated to inspire young children to fall in love with Jesus and his Church. GWTS is committed to preserving the memory of the holy saints and calling children to “holiness” by imitating the lives of the saints, our true faith heroes and heroines."

Besides my own review of Vatican Express HERE, you can also read more reviews from many others HERE!  They love GWTS as much as our parish does! 

I hope you will check back on my blog later in the week when I give a recap and post a review of our Catholic Kidz Camp experience!  



 

Dear Cupcake #3,
It's hard to believe that 9 years ago today you were born!  You were loved from the start with your head full of beautiful dark hair!  We were in awe of you, God's blessing, and we couldn't believe the amount of hair God blessed you with!  You looked like you had a wig on!  Your big sister is wearing a pink t-shirt that says "I'm the BIG Sister" and your big brother is wearing a blue t-shirt that says "I'm the BIG Brother" in the photo.  I made these shirts for your siblings and wrapped them up for your brother's 2nd birthday.  At his party, they each opened the t-shirts and this is how we told family and friends I was pregnant with you!  It was very exciting to share our joyful news in this way!

Your big sister and brother loved peeking into your bassinet to watch you sleep peacefully!  They loved giving you lots of hugs and kisses!

This picture was taken just before your first mass visit.  You looked so beautiful with your pink and white lace outfit. It was a lovely day to bring you to our church for the first time!


Here you are at 9 months old with your brother and sister  and you still have a head full of beautiful dark hair!  I had to put bows in your hair at 9 weeks old and since you never lost your hair, as many people thought you would, we continued to keep the hair out of your eyes with pretty bows!

13 years ago today we were blessed when we held you in our arms for the first time.  Here you are with Daddy and Mommy when you were just 2 weeks old.


You were 6 lbs, 1 oz., so very tiny, but big enough to fill our hearts and home with love and wonder!  I remember being admitted into the hospital 2 weeks prior to your due date because of preeclampsia. To make a long story short, I was able to labor on my own without being induced and in about 6 hours with no epidural, you went from your dark, peaceful home into this bright, big world!  Your Daddy and I had tears of joy when we saw you for the first time!

I remember crying myself to sleep one afternoon soon after we got home from the hospital because you were so tiny and I was struggling to get you to latch on so I could nurse  you.  Your Daddy woke me from my nap to tell me that he had made a phone call to our local La Leche League and made an appointment for us to see a consultant.  I remember the feeling of gratitude and relief after our appointment because I was soon able to nurse you.  I remember thinking that you have a wonderful Daddy and I have a supportive and loving husband.

I remember when we were celebrating your first Christmas when you were 7 months old.  The outfit you are wearing in the photo below has been worn by all your siblings too to celebrate their first Christmas.  Nowadays you are more into what's wrapped in the wrapping paper vs. just laughing at the funny sounds paper can make, like you did as a baby... :) 


I remember when I borrowed a watermelon print dress from a friend just so I could take pictures of you beside a watermelon and eating a watermelon with me while my belly was getting as big as a watermelon carrying your sibling. (that's alot of repetition there!)  I wanted the matching watermelon (there's that word again!) dress too so I could make the adorable page for you in your scrapbook....


 






I remember that even as a little girl you loved learning about our Catholic faith.  I remember for your First Holy Communion five years ago, we went and took a picture at the same church that I received my First Holy Communion.  I remember thinking "Wow! You really do look like me!"


















I remember that you loved and continue to love our family traditions and how you light up our lives with your smile and sweet personality and talents each day. 

What a busy weekend we have had celebrating your birthday, watching your brother play in a local soccer tournament, and today we celebrated the birthday of the Church for Pentecost Sunday as we hurried to Mass after your brother's last soccer game this morning.
 



You had fun Friday night as you played miniature golf and arcade games with some friends and then came home and had a cookie cake that I made and decorated.  The cookie cake recipe was delicious and can be found HERE.  I smoothed the "putting green grass" on the cake using the easy paper towel method that I used on your skate cake last year.  
Happy Birthday to our beautiful TEENAGER inside and out!  I can't believe we have a teen in our family!  :)  We love you and wish you a blessed 13th birthday!