The Good Shepherd's garden Party :: Week Six

The sixth week of Easter has just passed, which leaves just one last week as we celebrate the Easter season using The Garden of the Good Shepherd: A Sticker Calendar to Count the Fifty Days of Easter. The Good Shepherd's Garden Party for week 6 was based on the theme "Oh! What a Beautiful City!"  Since it falls during May this year, and since the symbols provided a perfect opportunity, Charlotte and I turned our weekly party into a "May Crowning!"

Oh! What a Beautiful City! Menu Suggestions

Pretzel & Cheese Construction Kits
Shirley Temples
Bride Strawberries
Groom Strawberries
Crown Cake

Decorating Ideas

Play the “Hallelujah Chorus” by Handel
Have children decorate “Thrones” for the “Bride and Groom” (Mom & Dad)

Here is the link to the picture's from Charlotte's family's 6th Good Shepherd's Garden Party...  

... and you can visit Shower of Roses to see the rest of our pictures!

Now it's your turn!  How did you and your family celebrate the fifth week of Easter?  We'd love to see pictures and hear about how you modified our Good Shepherd's Garden Party for your family, or incorporated any of our other ideas (whether you choose daily activities or just one party for the week) into your celebration.  We'd also love to see any pictures from your May Crowning or Ascension Celebrations as well!

To Participate:

1. Create a post about your Good Shepherd's Garden Party, May Crowning, or Ascension celebrations.
2. Using the linky below, enter the exact link to your post.
3. Add a link your post, referring back to this post so that others can find the party as well!  (Please feel free to include the Good Shepherd's Garden Party Button if you'd like!)
4. Be sure to visit the links and see how everyone else has been celebrating!
5. The linky will be open until next Monday when we add a new one for Week 7 and Pentecost.

*Be sure to take a look at all of the Week Seven links from last year 2010 and 2011 for all sorts of great ideas!

The Good Shepherd's Garden Party :: Week Five

This past week we celebrated the fifth week of the Easter season with The Garden of the Good Shepherd: A Sticker Calendar to Count the Fifty Days of Easter and a Good Shepherd's Garden Party based on the theme "The Gardener Plants Paradise."

The Gardener Plants Paradise Menu Suggestions

Maple Leaf Cookies
Lemon Crème Flower Cookies
Fresh Fruit
Owl Cupcakes
Olives and/or Rosemary Olive Oil Crackers
Palm Tree Picks in Cheese Cubes
Lily Sandwiches

Decorating Ideas

Roses, Lilies and/or other Flowers
Palm Tree Decorations (Picks, Napkins, etc.)

Charlotte just posted pictures from their 5th Good Shepherd's Garden Party.  You can click on over to Waltzing Matilda to see all of her pictures, including her darling Owl Cake and these beautiful Roses and Lilies!

This year, I ended up making tea sandwiches for our Roses and Lilies and a fun fruit platter for the Palm Tree!   You can see the rest of our pictures over at Shower of Roses.

Now it's your turn!  How did you and your family celebrate the fifth week of Easter?  We'd love to see pictures and hear about how you modified our Good Shepherd's Garden Party for your family, or incorporated any of our other ideas (whether you choose daily activities or just one party for the week) into your celebration.  We'd also love to see any food related posts for Mother's Day or the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima!

To Participate:

1. Create a post about your Good Shepherd's Garden Party or activities for the fifth week of Easter and/or Mother's Day.
2. Using the linky below, enter the exact link to your post.
3. Add a link your post, referring back to this post so that others can find the party as well!  (Please feel free to include the Good Shepherd's Garden Party Button if you'd like!)
4. Be sure to visit the links and see how everyone else has been celebrating!
5. The linky will be open until next Monday when we add a new one for Week 6.

*Be sure to take a look at all of the Week Six links from last year 2010 and 2011 for all sorts of great ideas!

The Good Shepherd's Garden Party :: Week Two

Continuing our celebration of the 50 days of Easter with The Garden of the Good Shepherd, our second Good Shepherd's Garden Party is based on the theme "Welcome to the Lord's Table."

Welcome to the Lord's Table Menu Suggestions

Set the Table
Decorate the Chairs
Lamb of God Rolls

Sparkling White Grape Juice

Ice Cream Sundae Bar with Easter Candy Toppings

Honey Butter

Fruit Salad

Charlotte and I both ended up making a modifications to this week's menu (as we encourage you all to do as needed, or just for fun!) to better suit our families as we battle some busy schedules and sickness.

Head over to Charlotte's blog to see the pictures from their

 Good Shepherd's Garden Party ~ Week 2.

If you'd like, you can then head over to my other blog, to see pictures from our 2nd Good Shepherd's Garden Party.      

Now it's your turn!  How did you and your family celebrate this second week of Easter?  We'd love to see pictures and hear about how you modified our Good Shepherd's Garden Party for your family, or incorporated any of our other ideas (whether you choose daily activities or just one party for the week) into your celebration.   Also, anyone who would like to share food related posts from the Feast of St. George (April 23rd) or the Feast of St. Mark (April 25th) is welcome to join as well!

To Participate:

1. Create a post about your Good Shepherd's Garden Party or activities for the second week of Easter.  (Or any food related posts for St. George and/or St. Mark.)
2. Using the linky below, enter the exact link to your post.
3. Add a link your post, referring back to this post so that others can find the party as well!  (Please feel free to include the Good Shepherd's Garden Party Button if you'd like!)
4. Be sure to visit the links and see how everyone else has been celebrating!
5. The linky will be open until next Monday when we add a new one for Week 3.

The Good Shepherd's Garden Party :: Week One

We are celebrating the 50 days of Easter with The Garden of the Good Shepherd and with a weekly Good Shepherd's Garden Party!  The theme and menu for the first week was based on "The Good Shepherd's Pasture."

The Good Shepherd's Pasture Menu Suggestions

Mini Shepherd's Pies

Shepherd’s Crooks

God’s Sheep

Graham Cracker Gates

Ewe and Ram Cupcakes

Lamb’s Wool

Wolf Paw Cookies

First head over to Waltzing Matilda to see pictures from Charlotte's Good Shepherd's Garden Party!

Then you can click over to my other blog, Shower of Roses, to see pictures from our party.

Note:  You can find a Spanish Version of this week's readings for the Garden of the Good Shepherd, along with our Garden Party Plans, over at Familia Católica.

Now it's your turn!  How did you and your family celebrate this first week of Easter?  We'd love to see pictures and hear about how you modified our Good Shepherd's Garden Party for your family, or incorporated any of our other ideas (whether you choose daily activities or just one party for the week) into your celebration.   Also, anyone who would like to share any food related posts from Divine Mercy Sunday is welcome to join as well!


To Post:

1. Create a post about your Good Shepherd's Garden Party or activities for the first week of Easter.  (Or any food related posts for Divine Mercy Sunday.)
2. Using the linky below, enter the exact link to your post.
3. Add a link your post, referring back to this post so that others can find the party as well!  (Please feel free to include the Good Shepherd's Garden Party Button!)
4. Be sure to visit the links and see how everyone else has been celebrating!
5. The linky will be open until next Monday when we add a new one for Week 2.

Celebrating Easter ~ Share your pictures!

Photo: Our 2012 Paschal Candle

He is Risen! Alleluia!!

I hope you all had a very Happy Easter Sunday, and that you continue to have a blessed and joyous Easter Season!

For those of you with children, a couple years ago Charlotte and I put together plans for celebrating the 50 days of Easter with a weekly Good Shepherd Garden Party for our children and would love for you to join us!  The recipes and Bible readings for the first two weeks can be viewed and downloaded here and here, and you can also find all sorts of additional ideas by visiting everyone's past parties in the link-ups.  Charlotte has also illustrated a set of 50 printable symbols, for anyone that wasn't able to order a Sticker Calendar or, like my children, would like to color their own set, in addition to using the daily stickers!

Beginning next Monday (and continuing each Monday throughout the Easter season) we will post a link-up, here at Catholic Cuisine, for whoever would like to share the pictures from each week's Garden Party and/or other great feasts during the Easter season!

Here is the Link-up Schedule for this year:

• April 16 - 1st Garden Party; Divine Mercy Sunday
• April 23 - 2nd Garden Party; Feasts of St. George, St. Mark
• April 30 - 3rd Garden Party; Good Shepherd Sunday; Feast of St. Joseph the Worker
• May 7th - 4th Garden Party 
• May 14th - 5th Garden Party
• May 21st - 6th Garden Party; Feast of the Ascension
• May 28th - 7th Garden Party; Feast of Pentecost

As we begin this Easter season, we would love to see your Easter Sunday Celebrations! Please post your pictures (and/or favorite Easter recipes) and add the link to the link-up below.

The Good Shepherd's Garden Party :: Week Seven

Well, with the celebration of Pentecost, the Easter season has come to an end and we had our very last Good Shepherd's Garden Party for this year, based on The Garden of the Good Shepherd: A Sticker Calendar to Count the Fifty Days of Easter.   This past week's Garden Party was based on the theme "The Heavenly Zoo!"

The Heavenly Zoo Menu Suggestions

Water
Deer Cupcakes
Lucky Lion Lemonade
Beehive Baked Pears
Pelican Toasties
Phoenix-Tail Shrimp

Dove Candy (for Day 50 ~ Pentecost Sunday) 

Decorating Ideas

Peacock Feathers
Water Fountain Centerpiece

First you can head over to Charlotte's blog, Waltzing Matilda, to see the pictures from her family's Good Shepherd's Garden Party ~ Week 7, including her "Lazy Lion Sandwiches!"

These cute little sandwiches would also be perfect for the feast days of any of the Saint's that are symbolized by a lion, including St. Mark, St. Leo the Great, and St. Jerome.  

You can also click over to Shower of Roses to see all of the pictures from Our Seventh Good Shepherd's Garden Party.  Pictured below is our "Peacock Cupcake."

The Peacock is also an ancient Christian symbol of the Resurrection.  It was once believed that the flesh of the peacock never corrupts, so peacocks became the classic symbol of immortality, and representations of them are found on the tombs of ancient Christians as an expression of their hope to follow Christ in His defeat of death. 

Now it's your turn!  How did you and your family celebrate this third week of Easter?  We'd love to see pictures and hear about how you modified our Good Shepherd's Garden Party for your family, or incorporated any of our other ideas (whether you choose daily activities or just one party for the week) into your celebration.   Also, anyone who would like to share food related posts from this year's Pentecost Sunday celebrations are welcome to join as well!

THANK YOU to all of you who joined us in celebrating the Easter season with the Garden of the Good Shepherd!  It has been so much fun, and Charlotte and I have really enjoyed seeing how you all have adapted our plans for your own families!  

To Participate:

1. Create a post about your Good Shepherd's Garden Party or activities for the second week of Easter.  (Or any food related posts for Pentecost Sunday.)
2. Using the linky below, enter the exact link to your post.
3. Add a link your post, referring back to this post so that others can find the party as well!  (Please feel free to include the Good Shepherd's Garden Party Button if you'd like!)
4. Be sure to visit the links and see how everyone else has been celebrating!
5. The linky will remain open until next Monday.

The Good Shepherd's Garden Party :: Week Six

The sixth week of Easter has just passed, which leaves just one last week as we celebrate the Easter season using The Garden of the Good Shepherd: A Sticker Calendar to Count the Fifty Days of Easter. The Good Shepherd's Garden Party for week 6 was based on the theme "Oh! What a Beautiful City!"

Oh! What a Beautiful City! Menu Suggestions

Pretzel & Cheese Construction Kits
Shirley Temples
Bride Strawberries
Groom Strawberries
Crown Cake

Decorating Ideas

Play the “Hallelujah Chorus” by Handel
Have children decorate “Thrones” for the “Bride and Groom” (Mom & Dad)

Charlotte just posted pictures from their 6th Good Shepherd's Garden Party.  You can click on over to Waltzing Matilda to see all of her pictures, including these beautiful Bride and Groom Strawberries!

This year, I used my Pampered Chef Silicone Crown Cake Pan with a recipe for Fresh Orange Cake from The Cake Mix Doctor for our Crown Cake.  It was very easy and delicious!   You can click over to Shower of Roses to see the rest of our pictures!

Now it's your turn!  How did you and your family celebrate the fifth week of Easter?  We'd love to see pictures and hear about how you modified our Good Shepherd's Garden Party for your family, or incorporated any of our other ideas (whether you choose daily activities or just one party for the week) into your celebration.

To Participate:

1. Create a post about your Good Shepherd's Garden Party or activities for the sixth week of Easter.
2. Using the linky below, enter the exact link to your post.
3. Add a link your post, referring back to this post so that others can find the party as well!  (Please feel free to include the Good Shepherd's Garden Party Button if you'd like!)
4. Be sure to visit the links and see how everyone else has been celebrating!
5. The linky will be open until next Monday when we add a new one for Week 7.

*Be sure to take a look at all of the Week Seven links from last year for all sorts of great ideas!

The Good Shepherd's Garden Party :: Week Five

This past week we celebrated the fifth week of the Easter season with The Garden of the Good Shepherd: A Sticker Calendar to Count the Fifty Days of Easter and a Good Shepherd's Garden Party based on the theme "The Gardener Plants Paradise."

The Gardener Plants Paradise Menu Suggestions

Maple Leaf Cookies
Lemon Crème Flower Cookies
Fresh Fruit
Owl Cupcakes
Olives and/or Rosemary Olive Oil Crackers
Palm Tree Picks in Cheese Cubes
Lily Sandwiches

Decorating Ideas

Roses, Lilies and/or other Flowers
Palm Tree Decorations (Picks, Napkins, etc.)

Charlotte just posted pictures from their 5th Good Shepherd's Garden Party.  You can click on over to Waltzing Matilda to see all of her pictures, including these beautiful Roses and Lilies!

This year, even though the Owl Cupcakes are so cute, I ended up making a small Owl Cake.   My kids loved him!   You can see the rest of our pictures over at Shower of Roses.

Now it's your turn!  How did you and your family celebrate the fifth week of Easter?  We'd love to see pictures and hear about how you modified our Good Shepherd's Garden Party for your family, or incorporated any of our other ideas (whether you choose daily activities or just one party for the week) into your celebration.

To Participate:

1. Create a post about your Good Shepherd's Garden Party or activities for the fifth week of Easter.
2. Using the linky below, enter the exact link to your post.
3. Add a link your post, referring back to this post so that others can find the party as well!  (Please feel free to include the Good Shepherd's Garden Party Button if you'd like!)
4. Be sure to visit the links and see how everyone else has been celebrating!
5. The linky will be open until next Monday when we add a new one for Week 6.

*Be sure to take a look at all of the Week Six links from last year for all sorts of great ideas!

The Good Shepherd's Garden Party :: Week Four

Can you believe it has already been over four weeks since Easter?  The weeks are going by so fast!   We are still celebrating the 50 days of Easter with The Garden of the Good Shepherd, and our fourth Garden Party is based on the theme "The Wind and Sea Obey Him."

The Wind and Sea Obey Him Menu Suggestions

Apple or Banana Boats with Pretzel Masts

And Fruit Roll-Up Sails

Net Shaped Pretzels

Goldfish Crackers

Mini Pulled Barbecue Pork Sandwiches

Octopus Candy Cupcakes

“Sea” Water

Decorating Ideas

Pinwheels & Bubbles

Charlotte and I both made modifications to the menu again this week.   I just love the Leviathan Hot Dogs, Bun Boats, Pretzel Masts and Cheese Sails that she created for her family.  Click on over to her blog to see the rest of her pictures!

I don't think I've mentioned it here at Catholic Cuisine yet, but I, too, am expecting again and have been craving protein like crazy.   For our boats I opted to make some Deviled Egg Sail Boats, while restocking my fridge with a bowl of extra hard boiled eggs.   You can see the rest of our pictures over at Shower of Roses.

Now it's your turn!  How did you and your family celebrate the fourth week of Easter?  We'd love to see pictures and hear about how you modified our Good Shepherd's Garden Party for your family, or incorporated any of our other ideas (whether you choose daily activities or just one party for the week) into your celebration.

To Participate:

1. Create a post about your Good Shepherd's Garden Party or activities for the fourth week of Easter.
2. Using the linky below, enter the exact link to your post.
3. Add a link your post, referring back to this post so that others can find the party as well!  (Please feel free to include the Good Shepherd's Garden Party Button if you'd like!)
4. Be sure to visit the links and see how everyone else has been celebrating!
5. The linky will be open until next Monday when we add a new one for Week 4.

*Be sure to take a look at all of the Week Five links from last year for all sorts of great ideas!

The Good Shepherd's Garden Party :: Week Three

Our third Good Shepherd's Garden Party, as we celebrate the 50 days of Easter with The Garden of the Good Shepherd, is based on the theme "The Heaven's Tell God's Glory."

The Heaven's Tell God's Glory Menu Suggestions

Sun Cupcakes

Whipped Creamy Clouds

Talking Rain Sparkling Ice

Thunder and Lightning

Windy Cakes

Rainbow Kabobs

Crushed Ice

Decorating Ideas

Lightning Bolt Straws

Pinwheels

Please say a little prayer for Charlotte, as she recovers from a pulled muscle in her back.  In the meantime, her husband did a wonderful job with their Garden Party!

I made quite a few substitutions for this week...  I think next year it would be so fun to compile a list of everyone's ideas for each menu item!  The possibilities really are endless.  You can see all of our pictures over at Shower of Roses.

Now it's your turn!  How did you and your family celebrate this third week of Easter?  We'd love to see pictures and hear about how you modified our Good Shepherd's Garden Party for your family, or incorporated any of our other ideas (whether you choose daily activities or just one party for the week) into your celebration.   Also, anyone who would like to share food related posts from this year's Feast of Our Lady of Fatima or Good Shepherd Sunday are welcome to join as well!

To Participate:

1. Create a post about your Good Shepherd's Garden Party or activities for the second week of Easter.  (Or any food related posts for Our Lady of Fatima and Good Shepherd Sunday.)
2. Using the linky below, enter the exact link to your post.
3. Add a link your post, referring back to this post so that others can find the party as well!  (Please feel free to include the Good Shepherd's Garden Party Button if you'd like!)
4. Be sure to visit the links and see how everyone else has been celebrating!
5. The linky will be open until next Monday when we add a new one for Week 4.

*Be sure to take a look at all of the Week Four links from last year for all sorts of great ideas!

The Good Shepherd's Garden Party :: Week Two

Continuing our celebration of the 50 days of Easter with The Garden of the Good Shepherd, our second Good Shepherd's Garden Party is based on the theme "Welcome to the Lord's Table."

Welcome to the Lord's Table Menu Suggestions

Set the Table
Decorate the Chairs
Lamb of God Rolls

Sparkling White Grape Juice

Ice Cream Sundae Bar with Easter Candy Toppings

Honey Butter

Fruit Salad

Charlotte and I both ended up making a couple little modifications to this week's menu (as we encourage you all to do as needed!) to better suit our families and schedules.

Head over to Charlotte's blog to see the pictures from their

 Good Shepherd's Garden Party ~ Week 2.

If you'd like, you can then head over to my other blog, to see pictures from our 2nd Good Shepherd's Garden Party.      

Now it's your turn!  How did you and your family celebrate this first week of Easter?  We'd love to see pictures and hear about how you modified our Good Shepherd's Garden Party for your family, or incorporated any of our other ideas (whether you choose daily activities or just one party for the week) into your celebration.   Also, anyone who would like to share food related posts from Mother's Day is welcome to join as well!

To Participate:

1. Create a post about your Good Shepherd's Garden Party or activities for the second week of Easter.  (Or any food related posts for Mother's Day.)
2. Using the linky below, enter the exact link to your post.
3. Add a link your post, referring back to this post so that others can find the party as well!  (Please feel free to include the Good Shepherd's Garden Party Button if you'd like!)
4. Be sure to visit the links and see how everyone else has been celebrating!
5. The linky will be open until next Monday when we add a new one for Week 3.

Little Lamb of Jesus First Holy Communion Novena Treats

Little Lamb of Jesus First Holy Communion Treats and Novena

It has been a blessing to make our final preparations for First Holy Communion during the Easter Season.  So many of the symbols that coincide with the season are also applicable to First Holy Communion.  There are so many different foods, treats, and candies that can be made.  Many of the ideas from the Good Shepherd Garden Parties can be used as well.  I just wanted to share this idea that can also be used a long with a lovely First Holy Communion Novena that is free to download online.  It is called the Little Lamb of Jesus First Holy Communion Novena with St. Therese of Lisieux.  We are enjoying this immensely!  If you have a lamb cookie cutter, this would make the perfect simple treat to accompany the final days of the novena with your child.

I found this lamb cookie cutter last year but it is still available!

Instructions:

{Follow Rice Krispies Treats recipe on the box}

Ingredients Needed:

3 Tbsp. Margarine or Butter

1 Package (10 oz., about 40) regular marshmallows or 4 cups miniature marshmallows

6 Cups Rice Krispies Cereal

Writing Icing for decorating

Spread Rice Krispies on to cookie sheet for best cutting with cookie cutters.  Use Icing to decorate  treats upon cooling:

We also cut out a chalice and host (free hand) for our special First Communicant to decorate!

God Bless all the precious children making their First Holy Communion!

A beautiful excerpt from Day 4 of the Novena:

"When you receive your First Holy Communion you will carry Jesus with you in your heart.  He carries you on His shoulders, a Shepherd with His little lamb.  That is the strength of Jesus with arms like steel to lean upon.  He is a special friend in all the fun and not so fun times in your life."

The Good Shepherd's Garden Party :: Week One

We are celebrating the 50 days of Easter with The Garden of the Good Shepherd and with a weekly Good Shepherd's Garden Party!  The theme and menu for the first week was based on "The Good Shepherd's Pasture."

The Good Shepherd's Pasture Menu Suggestions

Mini Shepherd's Pies

Shepherd’s Crooks

God’s Sheep

Graham Cracker Gates

Ewe and Ram Cupcakes

Lamb’s Wool

Wolf Paw Cookies

First head over to Waltzing Matilda to see pictures from Charlotte's Good Shepherd's Garden Party!

Then you can click over to my other blog, Shower of Roses, to see pictures from our party.

Now it's your turn!  How did you and your family celebrate this first week of Easter?  We'd love to see pictures and hear about how you modified our Good Shepherd's Garden Party for your family, or incorporated any of our other ideas (whether you choose daily activities or just one party for the week) into your celebration.   Also, anyone who would like to share any food related posts from your Divine Mercy Sunday and the Beatification of Pope John Paul II is welcome to join as well!

To Post:

1. Create a post about your Good Shepherd's Garden Party or activities for the first week of Easter.  (Or any food related posts for Divine Mercy Sunday and the Beatification of Pope John Paul II.)
2. Using the linky below, enter the exact link to your post.
3. Add a link your post, referring back to this post so that others can find the party as well!  (Please feel free to include the Good Shepherd's Garden Party Button!)
4. Be sure to visit the links and see how everyone else has been celebrating!
5. The linky will be open until next Monday when we add a new one for Week 2.