A Season with the Saints
Our group of beauties rotates through a three year cycle. Each year's activities are carefully prayerfully chosen to function independently of the other years. It's our hope that a Rose Bud my join the group at any point in the three year cycle and not be "lost" or feel "behind".
The first year in our program's cycle follows the Wreath I curriculum of Rachel Watkins' Little Flowers' Girls Club. This program allows for an opportunity for the girls to encounter a number of the beautiful saints with which our faith is so blessed. Each saint embodies a virtue to which the girls are introduced and each virtue is represented by a flower. The girls earn badges on their uniform sash in the form of a flower (the Maiden's Wreath I) as activities and coloring pages from the handbook are completed. We chose this beautiful program for two reasons:
1. It's beautiful!
2. We didn't know what we were doing and Rachel Watkins did!
The girls just eat it up!
We compile all of our activities from year one ~ coloring pages, scrapbooking, crafts, holy cards, etc. ~ into a notebook that the girls get to keep at the end of the year.
It's a beautiful keepsake but also a seed...planted in the hands of our little beauties that they may use it to grow in virtue and grace.
We, again, cannot take credit for much of what was included in the notebook (or even the idea of the notebook itself!) My favorite blogger, Jessica, is amazingly creative and without her ideas, the first year in our cycle would be a poor attempt at best!
Our year one notebook consists of nine pages, one for each saint and virtue, plus a cover. Although each page is modeled for the girls (as many of our girls are only five), many of them use creativity all their own to put the pages together. We love it when the girls add their own "style" to the pages...like saints with nail polish and blue hair (oh my!).
Our Year One Notebook
Page One
Saint: St. Catherine Siena
Virtue: Faith
Flower: The Sunflower
Project: Sunflower Prayer Pillow
Snack: Sunflower Cupcakes
We, again, cannot take credit for much of what was included in the notebook (or even the idea of the notebook itself!) My favorite blogger, Jessica, is amazingly creative and without her ideas, the first year in our cycle would be a poor attempt at best!
Our year one notebook consists of nine pages, one for each saint and virtue, plus a cover. Although each page is modeled for the girls (as many of our girls are only five), many of them use creativity all their own to put the pages together. We love it when the girls add their own "style" to the pages...like saints with nail polish and blue hair (oh my!).
Our Year One Notebook
Page One
Saint: St. Catherine Siena
Virtue: Faith
Flower: The Sunflower
Project: Sunflower Prayer Pillow
Snack: Sunflower Cupcakes
Page Two
Saint: St. Monica
Virtue: Hope
Flower: The Ivy
Project: Ivy Covered Hope Chest
Snack: Ivy Shaped Rice Krispie Treats
Page Three
Saint: St. Agnes
Virtue: Love of God
Flower: The Peony
Project: Heart Shaped Christmas Tree Ornament
Snack: Lamb Cupcakes
Page Four
Saint: St. Jane Frances de Chantal
Virtue: Love of Neighbor
Flower: The Rose
Project: Toys Drive for Local Children's Therapy Stables
Snack: Rose Cupcakes
Page Five
Saint: St. Joan of Arc
Virtue: Obedience
Flower: The Carnation
Project: Glittered Shield of Virtue
Snack: Carnation Cupcakes
Page Six
Saint: St. Cecilia
Virtue: Piety
Flower: The Forget-Me-Not
Project: Lenten Sacrifices Journal
Snack: Forget-Me-Not Cookies
Page Seven
Saint: St. Catherine LaBoure
Virtue: Humility
Flower: The Violet
Project: Violet Bookmark
Snack: Violet Cookies
Page Eight
Saint: St. Frances Xavier Cabrini
Virtue: Industriousness
Flower: The Daffodil
Project: Building the Kingdom Tool Belt
Snack: Daffodil Cupcakes
Page Nine
Saint: St. Bridget of Sweden
Virtue: Truthfulness
Flower: The Narcissus
Project: Magic Mirror: See Jesus, Be Jesus
Snack: Narcissus Cupcakes
The Notebook's Cover
The Little Flowers Girls' Club is lovingly named and conducted under the patronage of the beautiful St. Terese, the Little Flower. While St. Therese is a lovely example of virtue and love of Christ, we choose to ask the Blessed Mother to be our guide as we grow in God's Grace and Christ's Way. We chose her not only because we belong to a school and parish that carries her name, but also because she is our prime example of all the virtues we hope to instill in our girls. No one was more dedicated in Faith, Hope and Charity while staying so intensely Obedient, Humble and Pious. Her life embodied a quiet yet unceasing Work for the Truth. It is through this patronage that we pray for the Rose of all Roses to watch over the seeds of our Rose Buds.
Mystical Rose, Pray for Us.
Year One Marian Crafts and Devotions
Marian Rose Candle Holder
Marian Holy Water Font
Mysteries of the Rosary Liturgical Tea