Happy Labor Day to you wonderful folks!
We’re going to start our day with morning Mass (I really don’t think I can handle wrangling three littles at Mass by myself, so we really only go to daily Mass when Daniel can go in to work later than usual. Any advice on that? How do you do it by yourself?) and then we’re looking forward to a day of fun.
But on to why you’re really here! Shaklee giveaway winner announcement!
And the winner is……..LittleWife (comment 35).
But stick around even if you didn’t win, because Angela, Shaklee distributor, is offering a special deal for EVERYBODY. If you’re a Carrots reader, Angela wants to offer you free shipping up to $10 on any orders over $50. (This is a special gift that Angela is offering, not Shaklee Corporation, so the shipping will be reimbursed in a check from Angela to the customer after the order goes through.) If you’re interested, head on over to Angela’s Shaklee page!
And if the winner could shoot me an email (haley.s.stewart@gmail.com), we can send over your free bottle of B-Complex!
Anybody got special plans for Labor Day?
Psst! Don't miss new Carrots posts! Sign up to get new posts delivered straight to your inbox here .
Ah I wish I had advice for taking three children to Mass! I’m not managing weekday Mass with my two boys (Thomas is 2 and 8 months, and Francis is 16 months). The first year of Francis’ life we were making Mass rather effortlessly three mornings a week. Now that they are bigger and both mobile, they team up and rev each other up. The last Mass I took them to single-handed resulted in a rather traumatic experience. They sang loudly and prayed loudly all the way through. Then at the moment I knelt before Calvary to receive Christ, Thomas tore off, nearly knocking a statue of Our Lady flying. He started recklessly blowing candles out. Our priest looked panicked, so I stood, grabbed him, screaming under my arm and came back to kneel again. By this time Francis had joined in the yelling competition. In retrospect I should’t have received. The words and threats I was thinking up were ghastly. I walked outside into the pouring rain, a yelling boy under each arm, my cheeks already wet with huge angry tears, shoved them in the car and drove home…and haven’t been back to weekday Mass since.
Oh, Kate! That’s a pretty exciting tale. We should seriously start a link-up to share everyone’s most recent kids in Mass embarrassing story. Whew. Kids in Mass…it’s hard. I need back up at this point and can’t do it by myself but I so wish I could take them everyday!
I prayed a lot about this one because taking ONE child to Mass was SUCH a disaster.
The message I received was: make a little chapel in your house– in a nook that is rarely used and not high traffic, with a little table cloth and a few devotions or sacramentals. As soon as your house goes quiet for a predictable period of time (i.e. nap time), do the daily readings and chosen devotions and have some mental prayer. I usually do half a rosary at this time and the other half before bed.
Taking my 15 month old to Mass continues to be a complete disaster! I went for the Assumption, and literally my little one made a B line for the Altar every 3 MINUTES!!!!! I will not put myself through that. We have resolved that if our baby sleeps through the children’s (aka chaotic) Mass, then we probably do not take him. I am waiting for signs of readiness. Kind of like toilet training really.
I really need to get better at praying at home each day. We’ve started praying the morning offering with the kids, but since Lent I haven’t prayed the Rosary every day and I really need it.
Honestly, my little chapel is three days old. I am actually concentrating most of my prayer on continuing to pray!
As the mom of a five year old girl, two high spirited three year old boys and a 3 month old baby girl, I can honestly say that attending mass without help along is difficult, but doable. First, I like to make sure the older ones have eaten shortly before mass and that I’ve nursed my little one. I also wear my baby during mass in a sling. Having both hands available is invaluable to me. Second, I allow my kids to bring a quiet toy like a book or a coloring book and erasable colored pencils (no worries if a color accidently strays off the page). Third we talk about what I expect from them during mass on the drive over – listen to mommy, use quiet voices if they need to talk, pray with mommy, etc.. I also talk about a reward we will do together after mass when they follow through with what I’ve asked them to do. Generally this consists of a walk to the park, getting to help mommy bake in the kitchen, extra book time or occasionally, if I’m feeling really brave that day, going out to eat afterwards. Fourth, give gentle reminders and praise during mass especially when they are on their best behavior. Now, all that being said, this past Sunday I ended up with both boys in time out during mass, so these steps do not always work. In those times, remind yourself why you want to be there – for you and your children to be in His presence and for you to receive Him – and that you are storing up your treasures in heaven today.
As a side note, I’ve been following you for a few months now, and I want to thank you for being such a voice of encouragement to me. Blessings to you and your family.
Thank you. I am encouraged to try again with my little raggi-muffins. Maybe tomorrow!
Agreed! In the perfect world we would walk our children to Mass each morning before school and there would be a few of our mom-friends at Mass to lend hands and disciplining looks when needed.
I need to start a blog so I can do these linky deals 😉
I’m techno-tarded. Didn’t even get the reply thingy right.
I’ll blame it on living in Africa where we ride elephants to Mass! Just playing. I live in a very first world, tech-savvy area.
Weird timing–I had only just heard about Shaklee reading up on it in your blog, and someone mentioned it to me last night! I’d never heard of it before, and now twice within two weeks . . . is it a sign? c;