My sweet baby Mac turned 3 over the holiday weekend … a few “big boy” changes and total abandonment of any normal schedule still have us scrambling to land on our feet. Sour Patch Kids said it right – first they’re sour, then they’re sweet! 🙃

In the spirit of trying to live more liturgically, I had the idea of combining the (new-to-me) Christ the King Feast celebration & Cormac’s 3rd birthday party.

All things I LOVE.

Mac’s birthday is Nov. 25th – Christ the King Feast is Nov. 26th (Sunday). We gathered for the 10:30a Sunday Mass then enjoyed an afternoon back at our house with good food, family & a little tradition.
{plus a yummy birthday cake complete with blue batter coloring and tractor}

My main inspiration stemmed from Erica Campbell’s LIVING THE SEASONS book. She’s the owner and designer of Be A Heart – her website items are very fairly priced and there are loads of great resources for families (like “Mary on a Mantle” in place of the popular secular “Elf on a Shelf”).

We got the Mary doll as a gift last year but I didn’t think little buddy was quite ready to use it for its intended “giving” and “serving” purpose. I’d love to give it a go this year!

Her book suggests using felt to make a Viva Cristo Rey banner, but I had an unused poster and a box of crafty things so we went that route instead.
Mac picked four colors from the water based finger paints and hand-printed a lovely background we could work with. Over the next few days, we slowly brought our own “banner” to life!

(One thing I thought was pretty cute but didn’t end up doing with ours… she has her family write out worries or concerns they each have for the upcoming year then tapes those concerns to the back of her banner as a way to symbolize the Lord’s authority over all things in our lives 🤍)

Father Mike Schmitz actually has a REALLY good homily that reflects the importance of this day.
Check out the podcast episode:

03/30/25 The Place of the Way: Home – Sunday Homilies with Fr. Mike Schmitz

Homily from the Fourth Sunday of Lent. To look like Jesus, we must learn how to live in the Presence of the Father. When it comes to our relationship with the Father, too often it is marked by hiding our hearts or avoiding His gaze. But we must learn how to live like Jesus, who remained in the Father's Presence at all times and with profound trust. Mass Readings from March 30, 2025: Joshua 5:9, 10-12 Psalm 34:2-72 Corinthians 5:17-21 Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

1. 03/30/25 The Place of the Way: Home 28:18
2. 3/23/25 The Place of the Way: The Valley 32:51
3. 03/16/25 The Place of the Way: The Crossroads 25:19
4. 03/09/25 The Place of the Way: The Desert 22:03
5. 03/02/25 The Place of the Way: What Reveals and What Trains 21:04