Recently I realised that I spend a lot of sunday at home. Church in the morning then it’s laundry, cleaning, more housework, some baking, catching up on jobs that didn’t get done during the week, making up orders and not much else. I don’t think that’s how I should be spending my sundays and it’s not I how enjoy my time either. And so now I’m making a big effort to get out of the house and do some of those Sunday jobs on a monday. Today we went for a drive and joined in mass in the monastery which opens up once a year and was lovely. It was so quiet and peaceful and I’m glad we made mass because we actually pulled up and parked at the wrong church and then had to get back in the car and drive up to the correct place.
It’s always nice to take the kids to different churches and last year we enjoyed mass at the Shrine of Schoenstatt (pictured just below). If you get the chance to go up there it’s just beautiful and the view is lovely. The kids get to see that lots of people worship on a sunday and in different places than just their local church. It’s also nice to come together with other people and celebrate mass.
Today, the stained glass windows were so beautiful and we went around to look at each one. We might not be ready to take the family to the great churches of Europe but heh we can admire windows and churches here. And I found out from another lady walking around admiring the windows that one pair of the windows were previously from St Mary’s Cathedral and made in 1860 so are very special. The kids picked out things that I couldn’t see as I was juggling the baby. They had questions for me and were so well behaved and made me very proud. So mums of little ones relax, just keep up with the church going because it does get easier and I’ve got some beautiful little church goers with me.
Now some of the littlest members of our family found it very hard to be inside when a jumping castle and sausage sizzle were outside. So we joined up with them for some fun. The fairy floss was popular with my girls and it had been a long time between fairy floss for us. After we took a few photos we were walking to the cake stall (priorities, you can’t leave a fete without checking out the cake stall) and a little girl ran past taking elodie’s fairy floss with her (it stuck to her clothes). It all happened so quickly that our little one was just like ‘what just happened, I’m holding a stick?’. And the girl who ran past was trying to get the fairy floss off her skirt. Anyway, back to get some more fairy floss and we were sorted.
Some jams and chutney, some hanging tea towels with the knitted handles (oh yes, I get all the classics when I’m at a fete) and a quick look at the white elephant then time to load everyone back into the car. I was happy, I’m not touching the washing until I need to think about ironing some shirts for tomorrow and I’m happy to have had a morning out of the house.
First thing you do at a fete? Sausage sizzle? Cake stall? Craft stall? Fairy Floss?
I love fetes and market days,non around here unfortunately,Are you referring to St Marys Cathedral in Sydney? My Father had his First Holey Communion there, I want to revisit it one day. This Monastry Id also like to visit too,sound beautiful,can you tell me its next open day and location plz? Ill be doingg a road trip next year
yes, it’s beautiful and I hope you get to go there. I’ll email you the details of where we went today as it was just gorgeous and such a fun day. What a great idea to do a big road trip, I need to do one of those:)
When we can all fit in the one car!
That sounds like a lovely day. My husband went off to church but I am home with a sick girl that is one minute dramatically suffering & the next minute I am finding her outside on her scooter !
oh that sounds like one of my kids on a sick day! so now I say ok you need to spend the whole day in your room with no tv and it quickly works out who is really sick and who wanted a home day!
Corrie:)
Love stain glass windows. It just doesn’t quite feel like a church unless it has a beautiful window. There is something quite special about them.
Amber
http://www.sweetwordsprettypictures.com
yes I love them too and you don’t see as many in the newer churches so it was lovely to see older style ones today! Lovely to read your blog too
Corrie:)
Its nice to get out and about, even if it seems like hard work it is always worth it. I love fetes too and yes I do like to see the cake stall and check out whats on offer. I bake a lot at home but I do like to compare. I’m just so competitive! I love guessing what the ingredients are.
I know!!!!!! don’t laugh but there were a lot more older style cakes there than say a school fete so little dried fruit slices, savoury scones, date scones etc. We got some cute cupcakes with smarties and the icing had a hint of orange which I liked. Yep, I must be a home baker too:)
Oh I love Elodie’s little expression, how adorable. I love those tea towels too and bought some last year to hang on the kitchen cupboard for the sink. I am thinking I need to buy some new tea towels and work out how to knit my own so I can throw some of the stained ones away now. Glad to hear that all the children had a wonderful time at church and the fete.
What a lovely Sunday! I always feel so refreshed after taking a break on a Sunday – and more willing to ‘get back into it’ on a Monday.
Looks like a lovely day out, I agree Sundays are for so much more than getting ready for the week ahead! I have been to a few sewing retreats at a monestary in Stroud. I love the simplistic dwelling, the flagstone floors, the stone walls and the handles on the drawers in the kitchen are tree branches. Not so keen on the snakes but it is in the middle of the bush and the first retreat we went on it was 48 degrees until well after the sun went down. We are off to the Taste of Huon at Raneleagh today (another Tassie public holiday today!), or at least I hope we are. Husband said ‘it’s just going to be preserves and chutneys’ I said ‘and cheeses, meats, wines, craft and all manner of exciting things, not to mention local produce’ something I just can’t get enough of down here. Sometimes you have to live a little dear husband!
I LOVE tea towels with crocheted handles! These are such beautiful photos Corrie – you live a very picturesque part of the world.
Looks like you guys had a great time. I agree 100%, if there is a cake stall, it must be visited!