~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~
Every Thursday, here at Like Mother, Like Daughter!
{pretty}
I’m here in Oklahoma with Pippo and Molly! Rosie and I are doing this edition of {pretty, happy, funny, real} together. (By the way, if you are anywhere in the Lawton, OK area, come hear me tomorrow morning and/or the Chief on Saturday morning. Informative flyers here.)
That is, the pictures of the kids are from her :) Can you believe this little baby is getting her teeth in? She is a sweetheart.
{happy}
I was talking to Rosie about getting a place on this blog for all the little oratory pictures I know that we will be wanting to share. I told her we should put some pictures of her little places here in {phfr}. She responded, “Oh, I don’t have a real prayer table set up yet…”
It makes me {happy} to see that she actually does have a couple of places nicely arranged. Maybe they will change as time goes on, but without even feeling that she has accomplished what she thinks of as “the perfect thing,” one’s eye is caught by what she does have.
Similarly, we are starting with {phfr} to collect your photos. Eventually we will have “the perfect spot” — a page here on the blog where you can put your photos permanently and we can see each other’s progress, getting ideas and forming our own convictions about what will work and be beautiful in our own homes.
Until then, maybe you can think about {phfr} as a goal for posting about it, as you get your book, read along with me here or with Elizabeth. No rush, no pressure! If you think it will help! As we say in the book:
“The idea is that you love the thought of having a little oratory and will make it your own.”
You may have already done this! You are all much better at this sort of thing than I am, and I’d love to see what you are coming up with. If you post on your social media (especially Twitter and Instagram) about The Little Oratory, please use the hashtag #LittleOratory and then we will all find each other.
Especially if you are joining Elizabeth Foss’s book club this summer, you can come here to add your images. Plenty of time to get your book and read along with her!
Dear Cecilia is giving away a copy of the book on her blog! Head over there to enter. If you are hosting a giveaway of the book, please let me know so I can link to you!
(This is a relic of St. Anne, on loan from friends. If you would like to read about the practice of venerating relics, here is a good explanation including Scriptural references.)
{happy} is also getting your shoes on the right feet. Rosie drew arrows in Pippo’s shoes so he could figure it out for himself. Can you see the arrow?
{funny}
{real}
What’s a {real} without a “laundry day” shot? I think this was well before we arrived, because right now it all looks very neat and clean.
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I was just thinking I wanted to post some pictures of our oratory! (By the way, I love having a fancy name for it now :) Glad you’ll be doing this! So wish I could hear your talk…you’re welcome up in WNY anytime!
I am so excited about the book club (rubbing hands together like I do when waiting for cookies to come out of the oven)! Rosie is so smart with the shoes.
Thanks, Lelia for linking my giveaway. I can’t wait to start read the book. I just love those icon pictures. Baby girl is so cute. I just love it when they get into shelves or kitchen cabinet areas and make themselves fit into smallest places. Wish was close enough to hear you talk. Maybe you can do a stop over here in the deep south. Have a blessed trip!
Sorry, writing this on my phone and it changed your name without me noticing. Didn’t mean to misspelled your name,Leila.
I’m interested in the book boxes in Pippo’s room. Can you tell me about those? Also, is that painter’s tape on the LR floor?
Christopher does not think that baby girl could be Baby Molly. She is too big.
The boxes are those wooden crates from JoAnn’s, which are inexpensive if you use a coupon. We were having trouble keeping Pippo’s books neatly organized on a regular bookshelf, but have had much better luck keeping them safely corralled in these bins.
The painter’s tape was a rainy day activity – we made roads for his cars to drive on (roads that Molly couldn’t destroy!). He added buildings made of blocks, and we had a whole city set up for a few days.
Leila, I have some real going on today too so I could relate to the “real” on your post. :) The icons are beautiful and you are blessed to have St. Anne visiting!
I draw smiley faces with a sharpie on the instep divot of the shoes to help the children learn the correct feet. I tell them that the shoes need to “smile at one another.” As they get a little more skilled, they notice the divot and that acts as a natural smile.
Rosie’s kids are adorable! I love the photo of that little lady wearing a dress matching her high chair! It seems yesterday that that was Pippo’s chair!
Some of us (a few? Just me???) don’t have a blog and are social media free, so I wonder if there will be a way to upload photos here anyway – maybe we’ll just email them to you.
I identified with Rosie’s reaction – it was my same one: But I don’t have a little oratory yet! And yet I do, somewhat, and you might even say unbeknownst to me :-)
One problem I have with a read-along online is that I am reading the book not randomly, but definitely not in order – the book said I could do it ;-) I started with Chapter 9 – my husband gladly follows my requests in the prayer-life-of-the-family department, but I have trouble making him understand why some things need to come from him (I promise I’ll *try* to remember your advice and avoid impatience and nagging!)
Oklahoma is no good – you need to come to Virginia!
Mrs. B — you can upload your photos to Flickr or another sharing account, and then share from there. Or if you have Instagram, you can link from there! We will include directions for that (hopefully we will remember).
All husbands as far as I can see need the nod from us to start praying — it’s all in how you do it. Try saying, “Let’s say the rosary!” and then… nothing… and then… he’ll start :)
As soon as I saw you’d be speaking in OK, I started mapping how far that is from NE. Then my husband reminded me we have a wedding this weekend. Oops. :)
I’m struggling with getting my Little Oratory set up because: We are in a rental house. The house is actually on the market and we dont know how long we’ll be here before it sells. Even if it doesn’t sell, we will likely only be here in this town for another year. Any advice on what I can do temporarily? I loved that post from Rosie way back when… do youknow the one I mean? With the pretty paper decorations?
Go for it, Tamara! All it would take is a few little nail holes in a corner (or command hooks, if you’re feeling noncommittal), and it will make your last few (or many) months in your house so much more settled! And since you know you’re moving, you can feel even less pressure to get it *just right* – it can be your trial run, for your next home!
I can’t believe how big they are getting! And the ruffle butt leggings, , how I love them! And ugh, laundry. So very Real. Always.
Thanks for the recommendation of The Kitchen Madonna. I thought it was a masterpiece, and a perfect complement to The Little Oratory. A friend, who reads you here, and describes herself as a “cultural Catholic” and protestant I, just made a plan to read and discuss your new book. Thanks for the food for thought and fodder for conversation.
Like the idea of posting our prayer tables so we can see the diversity and gain ideas.
The tushy in the cubicle is just adorable.
All along, you have taught us that good enough is just fine. Rosie’s efforts are another great example. I can imagine, as her next door neighbor, coffee buddy, that I would feel like she’s done great things, and I can’t do as much as that. But it’s just not true, is it?
Oh, how wonderful that you are able to visit! Love those baby girl shots – hiding in the cupboard and that green dress shot is so lovely. What a blessing to ‘borrow’ St. Anne. I’m just starting in on your beautiful book – love it already! My eldest son is reading it too, and daughters are often seen flipping through it as well.
Lovely post, as always. I especially love the fluffy bum sticking out of the shelf! The thing that struck me most however, was the thought “how on earth does she keep pretty things on that low shelf with two little people running around???” My 2 year old would have the tops of the shelves cleared in one fell swoop! Maybe your two aren’t as crazy active, non-stop motion, into everything as mine? The whole “don’t touch” thing doesn’t really work around here, unless it’s sharp or hot, and I’m not sure of the morality of telling your toddler that everything you don’t want them to touch is sharp or hot.
Hahaha! I love the baby lying on the floor in the background. How many days have my babies spent like that? Perfect. :)