Thank you so much to everyone who wished me a happy birthday yesterday - your messages truly meant so much to me 🫶🏼 This year’s June 9 fell on a Monday, so I didn’t have the same opportunity for a day-of celebration as I did last year, when we went out for Mexican food with some friends. Rather, I spent yesterday at home with my babies, both of whom I love with my whole heart, & I am so grateful I get to be with them every day! Our toddler sang me happy birthday in the kitchen as he lifted a small curtain rod up to the ceiling, then pretended to “blow out the candles” with me (we did this over & over 🥲) Our baby girl sat so patiently while I prepped sandwiches for Mark to take to work for the week, did two loads of laundry, hand washed a mountain of dishes, made a ground beef & rice dinner with fresh peas from our garden 🍛🫛, sanitized surfaces, & vacuumed countless times. While this birthday felt more mundane & tedious than past birthdays, my sweet husband still made it a priority to help me feel appreciated, celebrated, & incredibly loved 💕 He surprised me with a pot of mini peach roses (my favorite kind!), a stunning black lace mantilla wrap-style veil (which I wore for this past Pentecost Sunday’s traditional latin high Mass), a thoughtful card he picked out with our toddler, & a beautiful Last Supper rosary box I found at an antique shop last week - then to top it all off, he surprised me by bringing chocolates on his way home from work yesterday! 🍫💐🍑🌹🖤 He played “happy birthday” on the guitar while our toddler sang along & our baby girl clapped & smiled up at us. Though we have been planning a little party for this coming weekend, turning 27 yesterday was made so much sweeter because of my little family here at home 🥹 (continued in the comments)

Please give me all your tried & true methods for removing dry erase marker from couch covers!! ⬇️ I’ve tried oxi-clean, rubbing alcohol (bc of the ink), & toothpaste 🪥 So far, the alcohol-toothpaste combo has done the most work, but the stain is still very visible 😅 I’m out of “crunchy, non-toxic” ideas & while I’d definitely prefer a more natural stain remover, I’m not so confident on effectiveness anymore 🥲 Staying candid on here, y’all 😂 #thecandidcatholic

This week has been such a beautiful time in our Church’s history! The anticipation leading up to the Conclave found many voices & opinions circulating on both mainstream news & social media channels. Questions about the cardinals’ voting process & speculations about who the next Pope could be seemed to be flooding the internet. How incredible that the Catholic Church is still so relevant in today’s modern society, despite all the pushback coming from those who wish to suppress it entirely. Pope Leo XIV was introduced to the world for the first time, & he appeared to be overcome with emotion – as would be expected when met with such an honorable responsibility. He smiled through tears, waving to the people cheering below, as they expectantly awaited to hear his first words. During this week of Conclave, my husband & I prayed for a holy Pope, one who will lead his flock closer to the Lord, & by His grace, become a saint in the process. Most people seemed to be sure of only one thing: that of course we would not have an American Pope, considering the “superpower” reputation of the country. But maybe an American Pope is just what the Church needs. In this past Sunday’s sermon, our pastor referenced a quote from St. Vincent de Lerins, who said, “Some popes the Lord gives to the Church, others He tolerates in the Church, & yet others He inflicts upon the Church.” We will just have to wait & see which category Pope Leo XIV will fall under over the course of his papacy. In the meantime, we pray! We pray for his holiness, for our holiness, & for a resurgence in faithful & devout Catholicism in the world. May Pope Leo XIV have the character of a lion, from which the familiar papal name draws its meaning. May he be a bold defender of the faith amid times of controversy & division, like Pope Leo the Great, the first Pope to bear the name. May he be inspired by the five Saint Pope Leos before him & may all of Heaven & Earth pray for a beautiful, unifying mission ahead. May he lead with clarity, prudence, fortitude, meekness, a desire for restoration, defense of Church doctrine, & above all, a return to sanctity, humility, & diligence in the pursuit of sainthood.

from life in college not fully knowing who I was in relation to those around me & my identity in Christ, confused by a noncommittal dating experience, making friendships I thought would be longer-term than they ended up becoming, wearing shorts, & jeans, & leggings as pants 👖, pursuing a career in pediatric nursing 👩🏻‍⚕️🩺, devoutly Catholic but not understanding the beautiful history & ancient traditions of my faith, just going through the motions of attending Mass & adoration & college Catholic center retreats… … to becoming a stay-at-home wife & mama & homemaker 💍🤱🏻🏡 - married for almost four years to my incredible husband (my best friend & the love of my life! 💒) who showed me such intentionality & purpose in our courtship driven by his strong faith & dreams of the future, - a mother to the three most precious souls I could’ve ever imagined (two on earth 🩵🩷 & one with Jesus 👼🏼), - quitting my hospital job as an RN during my first pregnancy burnt out & exhausted from working 12-hour night shifts, so I could stay home with my babies 🏥, - rekindling friendships & reconnecting after years of experiencing different seasons of life, growing separately & realizing what God was really calling us to, - wearing exclusively long skirts & dresses, giving away all my shorts & pants, making modesty a new priority 👗, - discovering the Traditional Latin Mass in all its beauty as it increased my faith & awe in the Lord, creating a zeal in my heart to make reparations for all the irreverences & sacrileges made against Jesus & Mary, falling in love with the beautiful traditions of the Church that have fallen by the wayside ⛪️ - starting to veil when in the presence of God 👰🏻‍♀️ & baptizing my babies in the Traditional Rite as soon as possible (as early as 5 days old!), - buying a house in the country with my family, starting a garden in our backyard, raising chickens & sheep & bees 🐣🐑🐝, & building coops & greenhouses & shelters & hoop houses 🍅🌱 - & the list goes on! just feeling super grateful for where I am now, but also thankful for the experiences that led me here, crafting the path to become the woman God created me to be 🤍 #thecandidcatholic

If you’ve been around here for a while, you’ll know how much I love talking about all things dating & relationships, marriage & motherhood, homemaking, & traditional Catholicism. Basically, everything I’ve experienced up to this point in my life (including my more recent content relating to homesteading, low-tox living, & healthy cooking) 💐 One thing I’m trying to work on & be better at is learning how to spend time with myself again - not necessarily as “Mama” or “Wife” or “Friend” (which are all beautiful titles I carry close to my heart!), but the woman that found her passions in writing & encouraging others, in reading books for fun & growing in spirituality, learning about my faith in a deeper, more meaningful way, & teaching myself how to let go of the past & dream about the future ✨ This is why I’m so excited to be collaborating with @livingrefine - a beautiful Catholic lifestyle email newsletter from @catholicvote for women who want to live authentically. They have such inspiring content & so many edifying articles with the best advice on relationships, health, food, culture, style, & good living. It’s not just a newsletter, it’s a community that celebrates & cultivates authentic human flourishing in full support of truth, beauty, & life 🌊 So, to celebrate the women who shape hearts & homes with quiet strength, timeless wisdom, & enduring beauty, we’re gifting one winner a thoughtfully curated collection reflecting the spirit of motherhood ⬇️ 📚 Theology of Home: Finding the Eternal in the Everyday from @theologyofhome 📖 Sincerely, Stoneheart from @emwilss 🕯️ Ave Maria Beeswax Candle & Tapers from @afewrandomthingsshop 📘 Be Bold in the Broken from @marylenaburg 🔪 Jean Dubost 3pc Cheese Knife Set 🌟 12” Stella Maris Star Charcuterie Board 🖋️ Stella Maris Notebook To enter, just sign up with your email at the link in my bio & you’ll get a chance to win $350 worth of quality home goods, books to feed the mother’s heart & mind, journals, candles, & much more! Super simple! 🫶🏼 Giveaway closes May 7, so tag your friends to let them know!! 🏷️

celebrating today’s feast of St. Joseph the Worker 🪚 with traditional latin high mass for Low Sunday, an easter egg hunt 🪺🐣, & an Italian-themed potluck 🇮🇹 with a stunning St. Joseph’s table filled with flowers & prayers & devotions & love 💐 . . #thecandidcatholic #catholicsofinstagram #catholiccreatives #traditionalcatholicism #catholics #catholicblogger #traditionalcatholic #traditionallatinmass #tlm #tridentinemass #latinmass #catholicwife #catholicmom #catholicfamily #traditionalfamily #boymom #girlmom #calledtocreate #catholicmoms #catholicmomsofinstagram #raisingsaints #catholiccreative #catholicism #tradwife #femininity #femininenotfeminist #conservative #womanofgod