What I Wore Sunday, or The One in Which The Kids Think I'm Cool

by Shannon

Editor's Note: We'd love to have you subscribe to The Sword and the Stein, whichever way is easiest for you. The Facebook button, other subscribe buttons and doodads are to the left. We're trying to post more regularly through the week, and I've featured fashion on days other than the Sabbath (shock!). I'm excited about a post I'm going to do in the next day or two called "Balancing the Fashion Equation," and I also plan to rant about how difficult it is to dress a little boy. Ryan's conceptualizing a post about spiritual poverty, since he's our resident swordy poster. We get bored, so swing back in sometime and say hello! 


I ran some women's errands after Mass today, and a young cashier told me my outfit was "super-cute," so I guess I'm cool with The Kids these days. I know she was über hip because she was wearing a literal hair bow (where all her hair was forming a big bow atop her head), and she had Pinterest eye makeup with sparkles. What do you think: Did I dress 15 years too young? I felt modest, modern, feminine and fun, so a win-win-win-win.

My right pinkie finger has gone rogue.

Deets:
Rose Earrings: 1928
Black shrug: Dress Barn
Exaggerated Chain Necklace: Target
Gold Lace Dress: Jessica Simpson, Macy's (bridesmaid dress from my sister's wedding — I totally wore it again!)
Black Belt: Simply Vera, Kohls
Tortoiseshell Watch: Fossil
Black Tights: Target
Black Ankle Boots: Report, Zappos

My women's errands included grocery shopping and BUYING A NEW APPLIANCE!! If you don't get excited when brining home a new appliance, I do believe you are lying through your pretty little teeth. Or you're just not doing it right.

Let's tell her what she's won! A braaaaand neeeeeew...

VACUUM CLEANER!!

There's a little dust bunny right ... over ... there — oh, HEY! How nice to see you!

I'll be especially efficient around the homestead now that I have a new lightweight vacuum cleaner. It's so light, I can carry it all by myself. My husband is very excited about the prospects of dinner being ready a few minutes early each evening, now that I have a new lightweight vacuum cleaner. This new lightweight vacuum cleaner gives my life new purpose. I think I'll invite my girlfriends over this week to show them how awesome my new lightweight vacuum cleaner is. I know they're dying for a new lightweight vacuum cleaner that will save their marriages.

I'll get those vermin if it's the last thing I do, y'all. Crazy bunnies...

On a more serious note...

I veiled for the first and second times yesterday and today, and I'm sold. It's been a long time since I've felt so focused and reverent during Mass. Yesterday, my Divine Intimacy reading was amazingly poignant. 

"O Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto Thine. ... The exterior attitude and the humility of our words are useless unless accompanied by lowliness of heart; many times they are but the mask of a refined pride. ... First make clean the inside."

A few other notes from the weekend's homilies. 1. Turn to God and ask for humility of heart. 2. The only thing to fear in God is losing Him. 3. Take God's love to heart so it may bear fruit on Earth. 

Oh, and if you're interested in amping up your prayer action for the Conclave, Adopt a Cardinal! We got His Eminence Paolo Sardi. He's not likely to be elected, since he's nearly 80, so Ryan and I are really excited about the prospects of Cardinal O'Malley. We still need to put together our blog roll, and he'll be near the top.

Lastly, I'm pretty sure Cruncher sensed the veil was important to me, so he bothered Ryan more than me during Mass. Worth. It. 

Mosey on over to the ladies at Fine Linen and Purple for less snarky posts.

Seven Quick Takes

by Shannon

"I have not been called to be successful, but to be faithful."

~Blessed Teresa of Calcutta

This is our blog's first dive into "Seven Quick Takes" with Jen Fulwiler at Conversion Diary. Knowing me, they won't be quick.

~1~

First off, this:

source: Catholic Memes

We will dearly miss him so, but he will continue to be an inspiration, which is such a blessing.

~2~

So, this happened tonight:

Yes, there was beer involved, but not nearly enough beer to justify it.

Speaking of beer, this is my companion tonight as I blog.

Ryan picked it out for me, this being his inspiration. Cruncher pretty much knows all the words to "The Saga Begins," because every 5-year-old Catholic boy should. 

~3~

This week is a break from school, so the before-and-after-school program asked us for $30 extra if we wanted Cruncher to attend a few field trips. I was thinking zoo (if we had a warm snap), art museum, science center. You know — the educational stuff.

Instead, he has gone to an animal shelter (not bad) and Build-A-Bear (pictured), and tomorrow is GattiLand. I repeat — GattiLand. For serious? It's the ghetto Chuck E. Cheese, and they call that a field trip? [Insert snarky comment about the public school system here.]

At least Cruncher likes his new bear, Nolen. (Yes, with an E.)

~4~

Got my boots! The brown ones are going back. But I'm getting the same pair. You see, I'm the type who examines things before I buy them, picking the item that looks least touched, and I refuse to buy something if there's anything that needs fixing. I always pull my groceries from the back of the shelf. So there are a couple things about the brown boots that aren't Just. Quite. Right. So, I'm going to give it another whirl. Kind of a gamble, but here's hoping. 

The black ones are great, though. 

Deets:

Cape: Vintage, consignment shop in town

Skirt, H&M, consignment shop in town

Tights: Target

Boots: Report, Zappos

Since it's the end of the season, I also bought a new coat. It's actually more of a fall-jacket weight, but I prefer my coats light for layering. 

I'm pleased as punch with it, and I've been able to test it out in the cold this week, since we had flurries twice! I was perfectly warm.

Deets:
Coat: Daughters of the Liberation, consignment shop in town

It was $30, and I gather the brand is sold by Anthropologie, so I'm pretty sure I got an amazing deal, especially since it looks as if it's never been worn.

~5~

I'm ahead of schedule on Easter prep because I'm actually using my planner this year. I'm usually scrambling through Holy Week, so I'm feeling pretty confident. We do a family basket instead of individuals, and I always fill it with books, so I went ahead to our favorite local book store yesterday to pick up everything. I can't enter that store without spending at least $20, and I found a couple additional non-religious books to give to Cruncher yesterday:

Cruncher's teacher has encouraged non-fiction stories since November, so the Ben Franklin book for $1 was a good find. Also, Ryan's had his eye on the Merriam-Webster Pictorial Dictionary for Cruncher, but thinks he might yet be too young for it. When I found this Mother Goose in Hieroglyphics book for $1.50, I knew Ryan would get a kick out of it. He actually said, "Oh, yay!" when I showed it to him. There's a key in the back to answer the picture riddles, so it'll be fun to see if we can guess the right words for the rhythms and rhymes. Also, Cruncher should be able to read most of the printed words on his own.

Next items on my Easter Preparation List: Cruncher's outfit (he wants a mis-matched suit), DIY plans for a door wreath and some sort of sacred artwork. I'm hoping for a new Stations of the Cross picture or a vintage icon of the Last Supper. I'd also like to get our front door painted before spring and start working on the garden around St. Patrick's Day.

~6~

It's Friday afternoon, and you realize you didn't plan head for your meatless meal. No worries — if you have a carton of eggs, you can make a frittata! A frittata is a fantastic way to clean out your fridge, getting rid of anything and everything that's about to go bad, or known as "borderline" in our house (commence singing Madonna here). Ryan and I love to serve frittata with tasty things, though, as we did this past Sunday. Here's the step-by-step, but you actually can use just about any combination of cheese, veggies and meat (or no meat) that you please.

Ingredients: Italian mix of shredded cheese, spinach (1 bag frozen or fresh), 9 eggs, 4 or 5 green onions, 4 oz. of goat cheese, 1/2 a cup of sun-dried tomatoes and 4 oz. of mushrooms

Heat an oven-safe skillet with a couple tablespoons of olive oil on a medium heat, and preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Wash the mushrooms, and slice them (unless you're lazy — ahem! — resourceful like me and bought the pre-sliced ones). Chop the white and light green part of 4 or 5 green onions and about half a cup of sun-dried tomatoes. 

Throw the veggie mixture in the skillet, and sauté until the mushrooms are a little soft. At this point, I added some pre-cooked breakfast sausage, but it's optional. Sauté until everything was warmed through. While this is going on, chop up the rest of your green onion, then throw the spinach and green onion in the skillet. The spinach is fluffy, so I threw a random lid on top to help steam the spinach. 

While the spinach is shrinking down, crack nine eggs in a mixing bowl, and pour in 2 or 3 tablespoons of half and half, milk or cream. Then throw in about 4 oz. of shredded cheese (I prefer white cheeses when including goat cheese), and whisk it up until mixed. 

The spinach should be shriveled up, so pour the egg mixture on top. Use a spatula to pull up the fried mixture so the eggs can seep underneath. No need to mix and swirl it. Crumble the goat cheese all along the top, like your dressing a pizza, and sprinkle some pepper up top. As it cooks, run your spatula along the edges of the skillet to keep it from sticking. When the entire thing is about halfway set (to where it's no longer liquidy, but the mixture still jiggles like jello when you shake the skillet), throw it in the oven for 13-15 minutes. 

Ta da! You'll know it's finished when it's a little brown around the edges and no longer jiggly.

Since our frittata was dinner for guests (though it would make a fantastic breakfast), we served some local truffles and caramels, toasted French bread, blueberries and cheeses. 

And a few pictures of our Sunday guests, Isaac and Tenille with their sweet children:

Our most recently baptized Godson, Little Bear.

I think Isaac was more than a little pleased to see Boo-Boo so enthralled with Cruncher's Star Wars toys.

A couple years back, we first met Isaac and Tenille was with Boo-Boo at our favorite bookstore. As all six of us hung out in the Catholic section, Isaac turned to us and said, "Do you go to St. Martin"? Why, yes we do.

Visit again soon!

~7~

I was talking about veiling with Ryan today, and it's just ridiculous that I care so much about what people think. I'm judging people for judging me, when I should be giving people the benefit of the doubt. After all, "You probably wouldn't worry about what people think of you if you could only know how seldom they do" (source). I need to remove the pressure to be successful in everything I do and not claim the power to control things. Trust God, and be the best version of me I can be.

"Blessed is the servant that does not think himself any better when people make much of him and exalt him than when they consider him worthless, ordinary and contemptible. For what a person is before God, so much he is, and no more."

~St. Francis of Assisi

What I Wore Sunday: Transition Outfit

by Shannon

Shameful plug: We've undergone another redesign here at The Sword and the Stein! I hope this one sticks. Feel free to peruse. The About tab is pretty much written, though I'd like to add more old and embarrassing photos. You can get to know us there, so pleased to meet you! I've started on a lot of the other tabs but have lots more work to do. We're also going to try to post more regularly, maybe even with a schedule of sorts (shock and awe!), and Ryan's going to have a sword post every week or so (or heads will roll). I've also started to put together a Facebook page, so I'd love your likes. Feedback is welcome. 

"Your presence, O Lord, I seek. Hide not your face from me."

– Psalm 27

Cruncher's project from today's CCD class, a "stained glass" Christian fish.

We had guests again this evening, and I needed to run errands for fabulous frittata ingredients before their arrival, so I wore a transition outfit to Mass. That means I was able to easily change my skirt and dress shoes for jeans and boots so I could get back out the door swiftly.

Deets for Mass:
Periwinkle headband: Goody's, Meijer
Cameo earrings: vintage, gift
Fair isle sweater: LL Bean, gift
Miraculous Medal: local Catholic store, gift
Metallic belt: Target
Plum wool skirt: H&M, consignment store
Boring brown tights: Target
Metallic mom flats: Naturalizer, TJ Maxx

Changes/additions for errands:
Amethyst necklace: gift
Skinnies: Old Navy 
Black boots: Target

No closeup on the cheapo $7 boots, because they'll be donated by this time next week. I've ordered two pair of end-of-season boots for next winter, but I'll probably wear them well into spring. I imagine I'll keep my Born boots, for when I want a grungy, slouchy boot, but I'm really looking forward to having boots that can be dressed up.

You will be seeing one of these two on my feet within the week.

Here's our cute little dinner guests. Check back in a few days for more adorableness and details on the fabulous frittata. 

Boo-boo, Bubba and Little Bear.

Last week, I asked readers to give me feedback on veiling if they do so. Conveniently, two other linking-up ladies wrote about veiling in their WIWS posts, so I had a wealth of new information. I loved Kelly's how-to post (which isn't so easy to research online). And Laura's heartfelt post touched on a lot of my own thoughts.

When I talk to friends who have considered veiling, they often say they're afraid people will think they're one of "those people." That issue doesn't hit home with me. I'm happy to be a good example in life, and even during Mass, when I'm being called to it. Because the Vatican no longer has an official statement about the who, when, where, why and how of veiling (correct me if I'm wrong), discerning to veil is truly a decision of the heart. Veiling is extremely personal, and it's up to each and every Catholic woman to decide if it's right for her and why.

My fear is instead this: My veil will look like just another accessory. I tend to dress head-to-toe, most of my skirts don't reach my ankles, I'm full-time employed, and I only have one child, thus I don't appear like a typical veiler from my parish. I don't want people get all judge-y on me, thinking I don't fully understand the veil and am only wearing one because it's, like, soooooo pretty.

This is also why Kelly and Laura's posts were beyond encouraging. I really needed to see examples of women who are both respectful of the Eucharist, emulating Our Lady, while simultaneously caring about their outward appearances. It seems that up to Vatican II, ladies would seriously wear their Sunday's best to Mass, pulling themselves together at least one day a week, and topping it off with a veil. Where did that attitude go?

There are so. Many. Distractions. The crazier this world gets, the more I want to just pull back and focus on Him. I pray that veiling provides me with a sense of reverence and focus on the Eucharist that I feel I am lacking as of late. I simultaneously long to be an example of true devotion and femininity to others, especially my son and husband, while also creating a sort of spiritual cocoon in which to pray and really meditate on the Mass.

I hope to give veiling a try at a Saturday morning Mass during Lent to see if it really is for me, and I'd love any further feedback on the topic. Now, go on ye to Fine Linen and Purple. Blessings!

What I Wore Sunday: Unintentionally Liturgical

by Shannon

Where there is charity and wisdom there is neither fear nor ignorance. Where there is patience and humility there is neither anger nor worry.

Where there is poverty and joy there is neither cupidity nor avarice.

Where there is quiet and meditation there is neither solicitude nor dissipation.

Where there is the fear of the Lord to guard the house 
the enemy cannot find a way to enter.

Where there is mercy and discretion 
there is neither superfluity nor hard-heartedness.

~St. Francis of Assisi

(Note: I've been meaning to say this for weeks now, but I want to give a shout out to all you WordPress ladies. I have the darnedest time commenting on your blogs, and I want you to know that I'm checking out your Mass fashions too! I'll comment, and it doesn't show, so I'll comment again, and Wordpress goes all "duplicate comment detected" on me, so I move on, and check back a few days later to find my comment never posted. Does anyone else have that problem? Arg!)


Time for What I Wore Sunday, with the lovely ladies at Fine Linen and Purple!

I decided to pick out my Mass outfit before bed last night. Normally, that would sound like a grand idea, but I was über exhausted after yesterday's craft binging. Nothing in my closet was pleasing me. I laid out four different outfits, none of which were right, and Ryan and I got into an — ahem — discussion over the appropriateness of denim fabric at Mass. It was not a good night to approach that topic (or any other) with me, and I think I won purely because I was moody and. Was. Not. Having. It. 

I ultimately despised the final outfit I chose, but this morning I was much happier with it, especially when I realized it was unintentionally liturgically appro-pro:



I always forget to photograph my outerwear. You've seen the shawl before, and today I used it as it's scarf function. The wool blazer I've worn all winter in lieu of my coat. Yes, I know that sounds crazy. It's been as low as the single-digits, and I have yet to wear a real coat. I just throw this on with a scarf, shove a jacket, hat and gloves in the back of the car for emergencies, and then go on my merry way. I always feel like I'm fighting with a coat — the sleeves are too long, the hem hits too low on my short torso, my seatbelt doesn't fit right, etc. Also, it's a bit warmer here than temperatures run back home, so ain't no thang. 

Deets:
Butterfly earrings: Target
Plaid scarf: TJ Maxx
Wool blazer: vintage, consignment shop I love (I actually think it had a former life as stage wear because it had an odd little ticket stapled inside when I bought it.)
White t-shirt: Target
Purple ruffle cardigan: Ralph Lauren, thrifted
Fuchia snakeskin belt: Target
Purple paisley skirt: Alfani, Macys
Tortoiseshell watch: Fossil
Brown tights: Target
Sloutchy boots: Born, Zappos



I went with the good ol' winterizing the summer wardrobe move. The skirt was recently uncovered while organizing our storage, so I was excited to wear it again. My mother gave me a gift card for my birthday the year after Cruncher was born, telling me to buy something nice for myself. This was my something nice, and I just feel good in it. This outfit was very comfortable, though the almost gauzy-like quality of the skirt's cotton caused it to stick to my tights as I stood, sat and knelt. I had Ryan on skirt-watch, as even the slip wasn't helping things.

While this outfit is a similar silhouette to one I shared a few weeks ago, and I tend to favor flouncy skirts, I do wish the skirt fit a little more straight and less poofy. 

I'm drawn to vintage-inspired, bottom-heavy silhouettes, which isn't necessarily the best for my shape and height. What do you think — does it look a bit better as an A-line or pencil? 



A bit more eye-candy of the accessories. I don't wear these items often, since I favor stud earrings and gold. This was a pretty easy-to-accessorize outfit, which is probably why I ended up choosing it late last night after I had lost my patience. 

Cruncher was a handsome little devil today (luckily not acting as one during Mass). The shirt and pants were gifts (and thrifted), so I'm not sure of their origins. The sweater is Old Navy, and the shoes and socks are Target. I was happy to get him in a decent pair of pants today, as he REALLY favors cargo pants, so I had to chronicle the event. He even butted me out of the frame for his own self-timer photo shoot. 


If you're still reading, and don't think this too personal a question, I'd love to know if you veil and why or why not. I'm currently discerning, and heartfelt thoughts aren't abundant online. Thanks!