My Homeschool Portfolio

2011-08-08T17:58:00.000-04:00

It has been a busy summer so far!
I am pretty well prepared for school, curriculum all chosen and purchased. Am trying Classical Catholic Memory this year - it really looks great. I just got our in the mail Saturday, so still in the process of reading through. The kids are always excited about something new.

Also, just purchased the new Catholic Preschool Curriculum over at Catholic Icing. Have done many of the activities there and at other blogs in the past - but having the information all pulled together in one place save me loads of time wasted surfing around on the net looking for this or that craft or activity I saw some other time. We have been thinking lately of just what kinds of activities to havI hae for the two little ones when the adoption (please, God) goes through. The kids are excitied about the adoption and the fun "littles" activities they remember doing in the past.

I have been working on/planning our schedule and chores lists for this school year.
Greg & Mary both want Chore Packs, Elizabeth wants more of a chore chart.
Seems easy enough.

Found this new list of homeschool sites to visit - a few of them are even new, to me.
The one blog I am looking over this hosts the "Not Back to School Bloghop" and "Not - week One". I always love seeing how other families homeschool, arrange their homes, schools, supplies and what others use for curriculum and all that jazz.
Most of the time, knowing that other families struggle with the same questions, issues and difficulties - is enough to get me over the hump.

Quotes on Prayer

2011-07-18T20:31:00.000-04:00

He who prays most receives most.
St. Alphonsus Ligouri (1696-1787)

When prayer is poured forth, sins are covered.
St. Ambrose (340-97)

By prayer, man gives God the greatest glory possible.
St. Peter Julian Eymard (1811-68)

Diligence in prayer is the perfection of the Gospel.
St. Aloysius Gonzaga (1568-91)

Prayer is to our soul what rain is to the soil. Fertilize the soil ever so richly, it will remain barren unless fed by frequent rains.
St. John Vianney (1786-1859)

It is essential to begin the practice of prayer with a firm resolution of persevering in it.
St. Teresa of Avila (1515-82)

By humble and faithful prayer, the soul acquires, with time and perseverance, every virtue.
St. Catherine of Siena

When you ask the Holy Spirit to help you pray well, put yourself for a moment in the presence of God.
St. Louis de Montfort (1673-1716)

God is more anxious to bestow His blessings on us than we are to receive them.
St. Augustine (354-430)

He who fights even the smallest distractions faithfully when he says even the very smallest prayer will also be faithful in great things.
St. Louis de Montfort (1673-1716)

The grating in a ... monastery is not to keep the sisters in, but to keep the world out.
Bishop Fulton J. Sheen

"... there are not two kinds of answers to prayer but three: One is "Yes". Another is "No". The third is "Wait".
Bishop Fulton J. Sheen

"Prayer can truly change your life. For it turns your attention away from yourself and directs your mind and your heart toward the Lord."
Pope John Paul II

"You can pray while you work. Work doesn't stop prayer and prayer doesn't stop work. It requires only that small raising of the mind to Him."
Mother Teresa of Calcutta

"Everything starts from prayer."
Mother Teresa of Calcutta

"If we really want to pray, we must first learn to listen: for in the silence of the heart God speaks."
Mother Teresa of Calcutta

"Love to be true has to begin with God in prayer."
Mother Teresa of Calcutta

"God has created us to love and to be loved, and this is the beginning of prayer - to know that He loves me, that I have been created for greater things."
Mother Teresa of Calcutta

"When we contemplate God, we are made like unto God."
Julian of Norwich (14th cent.)
"... the rosary is being presented as a genuinely evangelical prayer and even as a way of teaching people how to ponder over the scriptures in prayer and faith."

"the rosary is very well adapted to teaching the life of faith."

"The rosary, which is a school of life open to the simplest of people, far from tying them down to the rudiments of the faith, leads them step by step along the paths of meditation, prayer and contemplation of the Lord. It teaches us to leave words behind when we pray."

He causes his prayers to be of more avail to himself, who offers them also for others.
St. Gregory the Great (d.604)

He knows how to live well who knows how to pray well.
St. Augustine (354-430)

We ought to be persuaded that what God refuses to our prayer, He grants to our salvation.
St. Augustine (354-430)

It is simply impossible to lead, without the aide of prayer, a virtuous life.
St. John Chrysostom (347-407)

As our body cannot live without nourishment, so our soul cannot spiritually be kept alive without prayer.
St. Augustine (347-430)

scapular photos

2011-07-18T20:09:00.000-04:00

This is the first one I beaded. After a dreadful rash in the FL humidity.

It was my practice, the next one looked much nicer.

The back. I sew on the medals and then fabric glue them down.

We were beading the string on this one to see what we thought.

Not finished yet.

I am planning on going to Lorretto, PA where I was told there is a book store across from the Carmelite Convent that sells a larger brown scapular than I have seen before. Like 3" square or so... I have been wanting a bigger one, so now I suppose is a good time. I like having mine beaded because it makes it heavier and I can always feel it. I like the continual reminder that I am wearing the scapular. I have always told my children that it reminds me who I belong to and how I am supposed to live every moment. I probably need to wear something the weight and size of a hubcap that bangs into my knees when I walk, but this will have to suffice :0) A hubcap wouldn't fit under my clothes anyway.

I will post another picture when I get it, and when I finish beading it.

Landmark Books List

2011-05-30T17:49:00.000-04:00

Landmarks

1. The Voyages of Christopher Columbus by Armstrong Sperry

2. The Landing of the Pilgrims by James Daugherty

3. Pocahontas & Captain John Smith by Marie Lawson

4. Paul Revere & the Minute Men by Dorothy Canfield Fisher

5. Our Independence and the Constitution by Dorothy Canfield Fisher

6. The California Gold Rush by May McNeer

7. The Pony Express by Samuel Hopkins Adams

8. Lee and Grant at Appomattox by MacKinlay Kantor

9. The Building of the First Transcontinental Railroad by Adele Gutman Nathan

10. The Wright Brothers (Pioneers of American Aviation) by Quentin Reynolds--Paperback from Amazon or Powell's

11. Prehistoric America by Anne Terry White

12. The Vikings by Elizabeth Janeway--Paperback from Amazon or Powell's

13. The Santa Fe Trail by Samuel Hopkins Adams

14. The Story of the U.S. Marines by George Hunt

15. The Lewis and Clark Expedition by Richard L. Neuberger

16. The Monitor and the Merrimac by Fletcher Pratt

17. The Explorations of Pere Marquette by Jim Kjelgaard

18. The Panama Canal by Bob Considine

19. The Pirate Lafitte & the Battle of New Orleans by Robert Tallant

20. Custer's Last Stand by Quentin Reynolds

21. Daniel Boone by John Mason Brown

22. Clipper Ship Days by John Jennings

23. Gettysburg by MacKinlay Kantor--Paperback from Amazon or Powell's

24. The Louisiana Purchase by Robert Tallant

25. Wild Bill Hickok Tames the West by Stewart H. Holbrook

26. Betsy Ross & the Flag by Jane Mayer

27. The Conquest of the North & South Poles by Russell Owen

28. Ben Franklin of Old Philadelphia by Margaret Cousins--Paperback from Amazon or Powell's

29. Trappers & Traders of the Far West by James Daugherty

30. Mr. Bell Invents the Telephone by Katherine B. Shippen

31. The Barbary Pirates by C. S. Forester

32. Sam Houston, the Tallest Texan by William Johnson

33. The Winter at Valley Forge by Van Wyck Mason

34. The Erie Canal by Samuel Hopkins Adams

35. Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo by Ted Lawson & Bob Considine

36. Thomas Jefferson, Father of Democracy by Vincent Sheean

37. The Coming of the Mormons by Jim Kjelgaard

38. George Washington Carver, the Story of a Great American by Anne Terry White

39. John Paul Jones, Fighting Sailor by Armstrong Sperry

40. The First Overland Mail by Robert Pinkerton

41. Teddy Roosevelt & the Rough Riders by Henry Castor

42. The Pioneers Go West (To California by Covered Wagon-hardback title) by George R. Stewart--Paperback from Amazon or Powell's

43. Peter Stuyvesant of Old New York by Anna Erskine, et. al.

44. Lincoln & Douglas: The Years of Decision by Regina Z. Kelly

45. Robert Fulton & the Steamboat by Ralph Nading Hill

46. The F.B.I. by Quentin Reynolds

47. Dolly Madison by Jane Mayer

48. John James Audubon by Margaret & John Kieran

49. Hawaii, Gem of the Pacific by Oscar Lewis

50. War Chief of the Seminoles by May McNeer

51. Old Ironsides, the Fighting Constitution by Harry Hansen

52. The Mississippi Bubble by Thomas B. Costain

53. Kit Carson & the Wild Frontier by Ralph Moody

54. Robert E. Lee & the Road of Honor by Hodding Carter

55. Guadalcanal Diary by Richard Tregaskis

56. Commodore Perry & the Opening of Japan by Ferdinand Kuhn

57. Davy Crockett by Stewart H. Holbrook

58. Clara Barton, Founder of the American Red Cross by Helen Boylston

59. The Story of San Francisco by Charlotte Jackson

60. Up the Trail From Texas by J. Frank Dobie

61. Abe Lincoln: Log Cabin to White House by Sterling North--Paperback from Amazon or Powell's

62. The Story of D-Day: June 6, 1944 by Bruce Bliven Jr.

63. Rogers' Rangers & the French & Indian War by Bradford Smith

64. The World's Greatest Showman: the Life of P.T. Barnum by Joe Bryan III

65. Sequoyah: Leader of the Cherokees by Alice Marriott

66. Ethan Allen & the Green Mountain Boys by Slater Brown

67. Wyatt Earp: U.S. Marshall by Stewart H. Holbrook

68. The Early Days of Automobiles by Elizabeth Janeway

69. The Witchcraft of Salem Village by Shirley Jackson--Paperback from Amazon or Powell's

70. The West Point Story by Colonel Red Reeder, et. al.

71. George Washington: Frontier Colonel by Sterling North

72. The Texas Rangers by Will Henry

73. Buffalo Bill's Great Wild West Show by Walter Havighurst

74. Evageline & the Acadians by Robert Tallant

75. The Story of the Secret Service by Ferdinand Kuhn

76. Tippecanoe & Tyler, Too! by Stanley Young

77. America's First World War: General Pershing and the Yanks by Henry Castor

78. The Doctors Who Conquered Yellow Fever by Ralph Nading Hill

79. Remember the Alamo! by Robert Penn Warren

80. Andrew Carnegie & the Age of Steel by Katherine B. Shippen

81. Geronimo: Wolf of the Warpath by Ralph Moody

82. The Story of the Paratroops by George Weller

83. The American Revolution by Bruce Bliven--Paperback from Amazon or Powell's

84. The Story of the Naval Academy by Felix Riesenberg Jr.

85. Alexander Hamilton & Aaron Burr by Anna Erskine, et. al.

86. Stonewall Jackson by Jonathan Daniels

87. The Battle for the Atlantic by Jay Williams

88. The First Transatlantic Cable by Adele Gutman Nathan

89. The Story of the U. S. Air Force by Robert Loomis

90. The Swamp Fox of the Revolution by Stewart H. Holbrook

91. Heroines of the Early West by Nancy Wilson Ross

92. The Alaska Gold Rush by May McNeer

93. The Golden Age of Railroads by Stewart H. Holbrook

94. From Pearl Harbor To Okinawa by Bruce Bliven Jr.

95. The Copper Kings of Montana by Marian T. Place

96. Great American Fighter Pilots of World War II by Robert D. Loomis

97. The Story of the U.S. Coast Guard by Eugene Rachlis

98. William Penn: Quaker Hero by Hildegarde Dolson

99. John F. Kennedy & PT 109 by Richard Tregaskis

100. The Story of Oklahoma by Lon Tinkle

101. Americans Into Orbit: The Story of Project Mercury by Gene Gurney

102. The Story of Submarines by George Weller

103. The Seabees of World War II by Edmund Castillo

104. The U.S. Border Patrol by Clement Hellyer

105. The Flying Tigers by John Toland

106. The U.S. Frogmen of World War II by Wyatt Blassingame

107. Women of Courage by Dorothy Nathan

108. Dwight D. Eisenhower by Malcom Moos

109. Disaster at Johnstown: the Great Flood by Hildegarde Dolson

110. The Story of Thomas Alva Edison by Margaret Cousins--Paperback from Amazon or Powell's

111. Medal of Honor Heroes by Colonel Red Reeder

112. From Casablanca to Berlin by Bruce Bliven, Jr.

113. Young Mark Twain & the Mississippi by Harnett T. Kane

114. The Battle of the Bulge by John Toland

115. The Story of the Thirteen Colonies by Clifford Lindsey Alderman

116. Combat Nurses of World War II by Wyatt Blassingame

117. Walk in Space: the Story of Project Gemini by Gene Gurney

118. The Battle for Iwo Jima by Robert Leckie

119. Midway, Battle for the Pacific by Captain Edmund L. Castillo

120. Medical Corps Heros of World War II by Wyatt Blassingame

121. Flat Tops, the Story of Aircraft Carriers by Edmund L. Castillo

122. The Mysterious Voyage of Captain Kidd by A. B. C. Whipple
World Landmarks

1. The First Men in the World by Anne Terry White
2. Alexander the Great by John Gunther
3. Adventures Discoveries of Marco Polo by Richard J. Walsh
4. Joan of Arc by Nancy Wilson Ross
5. King Arthur His Knights by Mabel Louise Robinson
6. Mary, Queen of Scots by Emily Hahn
7. Napoleon & the Battle of Waterloo by Frances Winwar
8. Royal Canadian Mounted Police by Richard L. Neuberger
9. The Man Who Changed China: The Story of Sun Yat-sen by Pearl S. Buck
10. The Battle of Britain by Quentin Reynolds
11. The Crusades by Anthony West
12. Genghis Kahn the Mongol Horde by Harold Lamb
13. Queen Elizabeth the Spanish Armada by Frances Winwar
14. Simon Bolivar, the Great Liberator by Arnold Whitridge
15. The Slave Who Freed Haiti: The Story of Toussaint Louverture by Katherine Scherman
16. The Story of Scotland Yard by Laurence Thompson
17. The Life of Saint Patrick by Quentin Reynolds
18. The Exploits of Xenophon by Geoffrey Household
19. Captain Cook Explores the South Seas by Armstrong Sperry
20. Custer's Last Stand by Quentin Reynolds

21. Will Shakespeare and the Globe Theater by Anne Terry White
22. The French Foreign Legion by Wyatt Blassingame
23. Martin Luther by Harry Emerson Fosdick
24. The Hudson's Bay Company by Richard Morenus
25. Balboa: Swordsman Conquistador by Felix Riesenberg
26. The Magna Charta by James Daugherty
27. Leonardo da Vinci by Emily Hahn
28. General Brock and Niagara Falls by Samuel Hopkins Adams
29. Catherine the Great by Katherine Scherman
30. The Fall of Constantinople by Bernadine Kielty
31. Ferdinand Magellan: Master Mariner by Seymour Gates Pond
32. Garibaldi: Father of Modern Italy by Marcia Davenport
33. The Story of Albert Schweitzer by Anita Daniel
34. The Marquis de Lafayette: Bright Sword of Freedom by Hodding Carter
35. Famous Pirates of the New World by A. B. C. Whipple
36. Exploring the Himalaya by William O. Douglas
37. Queen Victoria by Noel Streatfeild
38. The Flight and Adventures of Charles II by Charles Norman
39. Chief of the Cossacks by Harold Lamb
40. Adventures of Ulysses by Gerald Gottlieb
41. William the Conqueror by Thomas B. Costain
42. Jesus of Nazareth by Harry Emerson Fosdick
43. Julius Caesar by John Gunther
44. The Story of Australia by A. Grove Day
45. Captain Cortes Conquers Mexico by William Johnson
46. Florence Nightingale by Ruth Fox Hume
47. The Rise and Fall of Adolf Hitler by William L. Shirer
48. The Story of Atomic Energy by Laura Fermi
49. Great Men of Medicine by Ruth Fox Hume
50. Cleopatra of Egypt by Leonora Hornblow
51. The Sinking of the Bismarck by William L. Shirer
52. Lawrence of Arabia by Alistair MacLean
53. The Life of Saint Paul by Harry Emerson Fosdick
54. The Voyages of Henry Hudson Eugene Rachlis
55. Hero of Trafalgar by A. B. C. Whipple
56. Winston Churchill by Quentin Reynolds
57. The War in Korea: 1950 - 1953 by Robert Leckie
58. Walter Raleigh by Henrietta Buckmaster
59. Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt by Elizabeth Payne--Paperback from Amazon or Powell's
60. Flying Aces of World War I by Gene Gurney
61. Commandos of World War II by Hodding Carter
62. Ben Gurion and the Birth of Israel by Joan Comay
63. The United Nations in War and Peace by T. R. Fehrenback

Chicken Coop

2011-05-26T10:41:00.001-04:00

Now that we are not in the city, I wanted to get chickens.
So, where to begin?

Reading:
(will add my favorites later)

and, a chicken coop.
Grandpa (my daddy) to the rescue!

Our superhero - no cape, suspenders.

What color did we want to paint it?

We have red, so red.

Silly girl.

We ran out of red, so will be finishing up with mahogany and black.

What you can't see is on the other side of the garage is Matt's new car.

His dream car mind you -

I can't find the picture - it is a 270Z. Orange.

No red polka dots got on it in the making of this coop.

Thanks be to God.

Latin Mass in Patton, PA

2011-05-26T10:23:00.001-04:00

One of the things we most missed about Jacksonville, FL (friends excluded) was our Church.
Immaculate Conception in downtown Jacksonville is an amazing and wonderful Church.
We loved the Latin (Tridentine) Mass each Sunday, we miss terribly having Confession before every Mass, the stunning beauty of the Church, teaching CCD, all the lovely parishoners who welcomed us with open arms. A Knights of Columbus council that was very active - and YOUNG!
And, our priest. Father Murphy, a wonderful and holy priest we had the priviledge to know for that time.

Here, the only available Latin Mass in our area of PA (hostile bishop, former now - God bless our newly installed Bishop Bartchak) is in Patton, PA at Queen of Peace Catholic Church. The call it "Latin in Patton". When we move I always research Church's, homeschooling (and the laws) and other various things like best value shopping and so forth, where we are moving.
So, I had known about the Latin Mass, but this is PA. We moved in September 20th and snow was right around the corner. Patton is norther and into the mountains from us - an hour. Needless to say, we weren't going until after the spring thaw....
we are still waiting, LOL!

Well at the Catholic Homeschool Conference we attended we were told that all the homeschoolers go to the first Sunday Latin Mass each month, and stay after for breakfast and socializing.
First Sunday was the next day...........
So, we went to Harrisburg, PA Saturday and Patton, PA the next.
I am so not a traveling gal.
But, I was in for a treat. It was a 1st Sunday High Mass is celebrated in its full solemnity, with the Asperges (sprinkling with holy water), incensing, torchbearers, and the St. Benedict Schola Cantorum chanting the Mass. The church breakfast is held from 7 AM to 1 PM. If you click the above link, Latin in Patton you can see a close up of the high altar. The reliquaries are amazing. I'd not seen them before like that on the altar.
Here are some pictures -

Look up and all around the Church are symols of the Blessed Virgin with the titles.

They are amazing.

Side Altar/left

Ambo - See the Holy Spirite in the top?

St. Michael the Archangel is on the very top.

St. Michael the Archangel.

not very clear

Main Altar

Steps up to the main altar.

Right side altar.

Cool confessionals, right?

And, The St. Benedict Schola Cantorem.

Really, really beautifully sung. I felt like I could see into Heaven.

May Crowning

2011-05-25T16:25:00.001-04:00

Turns out there are Catholic homeschoolers in PA after all.
We found them at the little Catholic Homeschool convention in Harrisburg.
Today we went to a May Crowning Mass -

Matt and the children.

I have to say, one of the really neat things about living in PA is all the old Catholic Churches - and all the Catholic "stuff". Outdoor shrines, LOTS and LOTS of Catholic Churches.

The building behind the grotto is the rectory, and friary.

ST. THERESE OF THE CHILD JESUS Catholic Church

Johnstown, PA

Crowning at the beginning of Mass.

Rosary procession around the grounds to the different little shrines.

Gifts for the religous who are so supportive of the homeschool community.

Everyone............

Matt, far left

And the picture takers.

tap, tap, tap

2011-05-18T18:24:00.001-04:00

Is this thing on?

So what do you get when you buy a shopping cart full of pumpkins for $5

2010-11-06T08:39:00.000-04:00

All cleaned and ready to go into the oven.

I can't tell you how grateful I am to have a double oven.

Look at the floor, apparently we are planting pumpkin seeds right here in the kitchen to see if they will grow.

Puree, and packaging station.

Pumkin butter in crock, pumpkin bread to the left

Greg asked, what's for dinner?

Pumpkin soup

Pumpkin hummus

Pumpkin shepherds pie

Sauteed pumpkin and onions................

Pumpkin cranberry bread

Pumpkin corn bread

Toast with pumpkin butter

what would you like?

All Souls Day

2010-11-02T21:02:00.001-04:00

From things to do at CatholicCulture.org

The faithful who visit a cemetery to pray for the faithful departed, saying the Lord's Prayer and the Creed (even if only mentally), may gain a plenary indulgence once only under the usual conditions: sacramental confession (eight days before or after the act), Eucharistic Communion on that day, and prayer for the Pope's intentions (usually one Our Father and Hail Mary as minimum). Each day between November 1 and November 8, this gains a plenary indulgence that can only be applied to the poor souls in purgatory. Any other time of year this gains a partial indulgence. See Praying for the Dead and Gaining Indulgences During November for more information about indulgences for the Poor Souls.

The children and I went to our town's cemetary.

It is shared by our church Our Lady Queen of Angels, the Russian Orhodox, and the Greek Orthodox churches in town. It is just lovely.

The was one strange thing I noted, however.

The sign at the cemetary stated it was holy ground, a few other housekeeping type details, and a notice forbidding burying dead people with out proper permission. I couldn't help but wonder if this had been a problem in the past. Why else would it have been posted?

We walked through the cemetary, and prayed the rosary together. It was really quite nice.

The kids had fun. I came to the conclusion that I am actually going to need to get a winter coat.

I have the sneaking suspicion PA cold is going to be an all new expreience for me.....

Greg wanted to know if we were related to the Gregor family, or the Gregovich family.

There are a lot of family plots with several generations of families buried together. There are so many tiny headstones with the lamb (below) where babies and young children are buried. Generally dating to the early 1900's.

I know the cemetary is well cared for, it is mentioned constantly at church.

I will have to ask Father Joe if it would be allowable for us to make rubbings of some of the headstones.

I am not sure, perhaps that would be inappropriate?

Greg stopped at so many of the graves and made the sign of the cross for them.

Catholic Culture has a great article: Praying for the Dead and Gaining Indulgences During November

(clipped)
Explaining indulgences and practices Catholics can do during the month of November for the Poor Souls in Purgatory.

(clipped)An indulgence is "the remission before God of the temporal punishment due for sins already forgiven as far as their guilt is concerned." To obtain this remission there are proper dispositions and certain conditions predetermined by the Church that must be met by the faithful. The remission is acquired through the intervention of the Church, who has the power to loose and bind granted through Jesus Christ. "As minister of the Redemption, authoritatively dispenses and applies the treasury of the satisfaction won by Christ and the Saints" (Enchiridion of Indulgences).

(clipped)
To attain a plenary indulgence, three conditions must accompany the prescribed act:

the faithful must receive the sacrament of confession, either eight days before or after the pious act is performed,
receive Holy Communion on that day and
recite prayers for the intentions of the Holy Father (one Our Father and one Hail Mary is the minimum, but any other additional prayers may be added).

Follow the above link for the entire article, and more information.

Toties Quoties Indulgence

From noon on All Saints Day through midnight of All Souls Day* the Catholic faithful, as often as they visit a church to pray for the dead, reciting six times during each visit the Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be for the intentions of Holy Mother Church may gain a plenary indulgence applicable only to the souls in Purgatory, under the usual conditions of making a good Confession within a week before or after, worthily receiving Holy Communion within the week and having the right intention of heart. This is called the Toties Quoties Indulgence.

* This same plenary indulgence may also be gained from noon on Sunday, November 2nd until midnight November 3rd, but only by those who did not gain it on the preceding November 1st and 2nd. In other words it's either All Saints Day or All Souls Day or Saturday and Monday, not both.

All Saints Day in our family, this year

2010-11-01T16:10:00.000-04:00

So, homeschooling is a pretty ugly business here in PA.
At least if you are more accustomed to the Texas way of doing things.

So, no Catholic homeschool group here that I have found yet.
I am still looking.

And our parish church had a haunted hay ride through the cemetary.
We didn't let that stop us, we dressed in our saints costumes anyway.

Check out St. Dominic - he has a tonsure!

So does the mini monk, but you can't tell in the picture.

Aren't they cute!

The blessed mother appeared to St. Dominic, right?

She wanted a rubber snake to tape to her shoe, but we can't locate it.

St. Kateri

They had a nice time.
And they looked sooooooo cute!

The view from my front window

2010-11-01T15:54:00.000-04:00

Ok, so it is freakishly cold in PA.

But, the view out my front window can't be beat a couple times a day.

See the deer?

I took this picture out my front window.

You can't really tell, but there are three in this picture. They are eating acorns.

3 more.....

taken out my laundry room window.

Blue spuce tree to the right.

Aren't they beautiful?

The eat in the morning, and at night around dusk.

We got a salt lick (that they probably won't touch until spring).

A big tank for water, and deer corn, too.

I am not feeding them too much.

Oh, and we built them a big shelter out behind our house so they can hide from the hunters.

2010-10-12T21:38:00.000-04:00

St. Ephrem’s Lenten prayer

O Lord and Master of my life! Take from me the spirit of sloth, faint-heartedness, lust of power, and idle talk. But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience,
and love to Thy servant. Yea, O Lord and King! Grant me to see my own errors
and not to judge my brother; For Thou art blessed unto ages of ages. Amen

quiet time

2010-10-12T21:37:00.000-04:00

"Talkativeness is the throne of vainglory, on which it loves to show itself and make a display. Talkativeness is a sign of ignorance, a door to slander, a guide to jesting, a< servant of falsehood, the ruin of godly conviction, a creator and summoner of hopelessness, a precursor of sleep, the dissipation of recollection, the

abolition of watchfulness, the cooling of zeal, the darkening of prayer."
~St. John Climacus

What I'm reading - Small houses

2010-07-18T07:33:00.000-04:00

Jay Shafer's Tiny Houses
see http://www.smallhousestyle.com/
his website here.

Unbelievable! But how inspiring.

quote

2010-07-10T14:57:00.002-04:00

Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.

Benjamin Franklin

Simplicity

2010-06-30T06:58:00.002-04:00

(1) Simplicity fosters a more harmonious relationship with the Earth--the land, water, and air.

(2) Simplicity promotes fairness and equity among the people of the Earth.

(3) Simplicity cuts through needless clutter and complexity.

(4) Simplicity enhances living with balance--inner and outer, work and family, family and community.

(5) Simplicity reveals the beauty and intelligence of nature's designs.

(6) Simplicity increases the resources available for future generations.

(7) Simplicity helps save animal and plant species from extinction.

(8) Simplicity responds to global shortages of oil, water, and other vital resources.

(9) Simplicity keeps our eyes on the prize of what matters most in our lives--the quality of our relationships with family, friends, community, nature, and the cosmos.

(10) Simplicity yields lasting satisfactions that more than compensate for the fleeting pleasures of consumerism.

(11) Simplicity fosters the sanity of self-discovery and an integrated approach to life.

(12) Simplicity blossoms us in community and connects us to the world with a sense of belonging and common purpose.

(13) Simplicity is a lighter lifestyle that fits elegantly into the real world of the 21ST century."

quote

2010-06-30T06:48:00.000-04:00

St. Bonaventure wrote:

"I have come into religion to live not as others live, but to live as all ourt to live, in the spirit of the Institute and full observance of the Rule; for, at my entrance, the Riles were given me to read, and not the lives of others.
The Rules were then accepted by me voluntarily and as the basis of my life, and therefore I ought to observe them all exactly, although I should see that no one else observed them."

Next months virtue: Simplicity

Some sewing ideas for mens shirts

2010-06-19T21:05:00.000-04:00

I was reading this blog and love the bow.
The second shirt down is darling, but I don't really do spagetti straps except it could be cute over a long sleeve dress or top.
Down more are some tunic and babydoll tops - cute, cute, cute.

I ran across these reusable swiffer duster cloths and am really thinking that this might be a fun project for the kiddies.

Homemade laundry soap recipe. I really want to try this soon. I need to order supplies so I have them on hand when I empty my container.

I am nuts for this little hankie baby bonnet. I am seeing one of these in my very near future.
Evangelina...................

I miss being able to have my sewing machine set up - having a sewing area that stays set up.
Makes it a lot easier to do things.
Maybe in our new house.

Moving, Crafts I want to pursue, and more

2010-06-19T15:13:00.000-04:00

We are moving to Pennsylvania some time this summer.
It looks like Matt will be going July 18th. So, a month or two later - 4 children, 4 dogs, 1 mother (I hear Lunatic Fringe playing in my mind right now) and I will be heading north. Presumably from this house to our new house.

As unusual, when we move I purge. I mean really purge. I have way to many things to do to be messing around with a bunch of junk I may or may not need someday. So, I make daily trips to the charity drop - except Matthew and I are sharing a car now. How awful will that be for me when he has gone to PA?

Trying to do any type of organization or purging when you live with a hoarder (mom) is enough to send you right over the ragged edge.

One of the other things I do is start working on projects - it seems to keep me out of trouble :0)
So, I have been wanting to try to make envelope books: this one looks doable, and I like the looks of this one, too.

I have been pursing a bunch of different sewing blogs lately - just when I start to think I might have a smidge of originality I run into a wardrobe refashion crowd (and the I began following links to the other members blogs) and see that my own personalization and tailoring of my wardrobe is by no means revolutionary. Lots of other gals make jammies from sheets, notecards from scraps of fabric and buttons, and unravel sweaters for the yarn. And furthermore - loving expensive (but thrifted for cheap or stolen from family members) mens dress shirts and wanting to make them into something better that a "boyfriend shirt" (you know, roll up the sleeves and wear it anyway) is not even a new thought. BUT, BUT, BUT - I found dozens of ideas for making dresses for the girls, peasantish shirts for me and a whole host of other items (no, no, no, to the mini skirt dresses good gravy!). I can't wait to try.
When I am nervous I have to keep busy, or go crazy. So, I clean, I organize, I craft.

Thinking - Screen Doors

2010-06-19T14:38:00.000-04:00

What I just read over at Holy Experience was amazing. The Work of All Kids: How to Forgive Our Parents is the name of the post.
And what I most appreciate is the how to get there ideas at the bottom.
Here is the one I think I can handle:

1. Be a Screen Door

Like the wind blows through a screen door, let blustry comments, stormy blasts just blow right past. Incidents can only hit hard if you have your front door closed. But having a screen door policy allows all the pain to blow by....

It might be different if my situation were different. I could think happy thoughts, and assume the best when we lived far apart.
But, having my parents live with us has really changed my ability to maintain right thinking, right actions, and serenity in general. I struggle with anger I haven't felt in decades, I find myself struggling to maintain changes I purposefully and painfully made in myself as an adult - to be positive, to be kind, to try to live my convictions and serve my Lord in everything, every moment of every day. Right now, I am failing....
I hate myself for my weakness.
I pray God for the strength and courage to change.

Peace

2010-06-02T16:24:00.002-04:00

Preserve your inner peace at any cost. Do not trade your peace for anything in the world. Make peace with yourself, and heaven and earth will make peace with you.

~ St. Isaac the Syrian (+700 AD)

Garden of the Good Shepherd

2010-04-27T10:40:00.001-04:00

We got together with our friends yesterday for our first Good Shepherd's Garden Party.

We printed out the printables available at Waltzing Matilda's blog and I made each of the children a "book" to use to paste them into.

Here are the two biggest girls making "rainbow" snacks with fruit.

Note the hair styles.

Rachel and Mary - sending moral support from the livingroom via wii mail.

Linnea, Elizabeth, and Bridgid still making rainbows, and eating fruit..

We waited until they were starving before we began.

Blueberries are Bridgid's favorite, Mary will give her anything she wants :0)

Banana boats, with peanut butter, pretzle masts, fruit rollup sails, and fish in the boat.

Sunshine pizza, the smile was in oregano, my children turned their noses up at the veggies in the sauce. Next time, I puree!

And here are all the children, ready to eat. See the whip cream can, those are our clouds.

We also had ice chip hail, and white grape juice rain.

Everyone ate, and most of them made through several weeks of readings.

Just briefly, and not to much discussion.

Normally we probably would have, but all the kids were really tired from getting up extra early.

AAnother group shot with the boys on the end.

We really did have a great time, all things considered.

2010-04-21T08:39:00.002-04:00

So, now that I have started drawing on my eyebrows, does that mean I am really old?

Nature Study Notebook entry

2010-04-15T14:29:00.000-04:00

It is a radish. See it hangs down. I use packing tape to stick it on.

More Painted dolls- the anniversary edition

2010-04-15T14:08:00.001-04:00

For hubby on our anniversary.

He loved them.

That looks just like me by the way.

Short and round.

Garden Update - April 15th

2010-04-15T14:03:00.000-04:00

We found these bushes in the trash in our neighborhood.

So, we brought them home, replanted them and then moved them again this year.

Being able to actually dig a hole is an all new experience. The ground in Texas is clay or something horrible and impossible.

These are 'wild grapevines'. They grow in the CRP behind our house. Hubby has been pulling them over to try to get them to grow on our fence.

Ants - you probably can't see them. I dropped Amdro on them.

This is a skeeter vac. It is an amazing invention and it really works. Which is great, because there are way too many mosquitos here in FL.

The black and white paper is sticky. This thing draws the mosquitos and the stick to the paper and die. These little guys were hoping for a quick meal. Those are dead lizards stuck to it. You can't really see, but one dropped his tail trying to get unstuck. Yuck, right?

I would have thought the dead first one would have frightened off any more.

Not so much.

These get changed like monthly. We are trying to figure out a way to keep them from getting stuck to it.

These are my morning glories. Last year, I planted probably 100 packets (5/$1) of seeds.

They never came up. One measly vine all summer.

Well, this year, I read the directions - and actually soaked them over night.

It seems to be working! I have lots of morning glories coming up.

I love morning glories!

These are my wild blackberry bushes. A friend dug them up and brought them to me last year. This year, it looks like they may grow some berries. At least that's what I think the little balls mean. Are they flowers? Berries? I will be reading the Handbook of Nature Study today.

Tomatoe plants. See the one in the middle?

Is something amiss?

The dirt wasn't too dry, and the cilantro on top is doing well....

Closer examination reveals............

I believe a Jedi whacked it with a light saber.

Or, was trying to save the princess and swung on it.

I am not sure.

According to my pupils, "not me" is to blame.

Who is that guy anyway?

seedlings are growing.

Except no Lavender or Coleus yet.

Green beans are doing well.

Cynder blocks have gardenia flowers planted in them.

They are supposed to smell bad and chase away the bugs "naturally".

My garden is growing!

My father is the king of mulch.

I am just hoping it prevents some of the "dollar weed". Have to look that up too. That stuff is everywhere.

Coming from Texas to Florida really throws you off.

I have never even heard of most of this stuff.

Our herb boxes.

In row 2, I planted carrots last week because the green peppers didn't seem to be coming up.

I should have waited longer.

Dog days

2010-04-15T13:39:00.000-04:00

Can you believe this?

Or this?

More fun with friends

2010-04-15T13:36:00.000-04:00

So, it's Monday now, and the weekend has in no way lessoned the keen interest they have in the trampoline.

The faithful buddies, however, forgot the one at a time with you buddy only rule.

I am here, instructing the masses to smile for mommy and get off!

They attemp to escape by fleeing to the far side.

I catch an angel smiling.

Remove him from the trampoline, and instruct his buddy to take him to swing.

Ok, later that day....

We are bowling. Keeping the one year old from whacking the pins and knocking them over was next to impossible.

He had no need for any bowling balls.

His buddy is not impressed by the third time she had to set up the pins.

The all begin yelling for help.

See mr. tie dye - this experience has been all new for him. He is the youngest. Noone ever showed up behind him to know him off the throne. So, all this sharing and doing what the boys want has been challenging.

He has just drawn a chalk line to roll from.

The first time he went, he THREW the ball at the pins.

Hence, the chalk line and the more careful instructions.

Gardening with Friends

2010-04-15T13:22:00.000-04:00

She really thought I should let them water the garden.

And she thought he could pull weekds.

HA!

He's gonna get 'em.

Done, now back to the trampoline.

What we did April 8th, 9th and 12th

2010-04-15T13:19:00.000-04:00

More fun with friends!

See this cutie? Well, did it occur to me that he'd never been on anything but the baby swing?

Nope, no worries.

He did great, and loved it.

On the trampoline.......

Buddy to the left.

Getting tired, need a break.

Teeter - Totter practice.

Angel face.

With my Buddy on the Teeter Totter

My buddy, my buddy where ever I go she goes.

I can drink and jump!

We jump in the middle.

No, I don't want to get off!

WHEEEEEEEEE

Cute, right?

Yard guard.

Angel hair.

Angel blue eyes.

He is positive he can get down alone.

They are all swinging here.

Garden Update - April 7th

2010-04-15T13:06:00.000-04:00

Blackberries - on the other side of the fence in our "CRP".

Looking good!

Flower boxes - one for each of us. We painted them cute.

They hold herbs mostly.

Radishes come up fastest.

mystery plant

mystery row

Beans in the big pots. Marigolds in the cynderblocks.

6 Year old son was bored after the first one.

I made him finish anyway :0)

This is cilantro on top of the tomatoes.

Tomatoes - looking good!

Noon, sunny and clear 75ish degrees. We were out between 11am and 2pm. I noticed that our boxed hebs weren't getting much sun. So, that's why they don't look very good! I wondered why they had that funny green moss looking stuff on the dirt.

So, I moved them over by the garden in full sun.

We also planted some seedlings today. (4/7)

Green Peppers

Snow Peas

Bachelor Buttons

Lavendar

Coleus

Cukes

Arugula

Fun with Friends

2010-04-06T06:44:00.000-04:00

There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship. ~St. Thomas Aquinas

Celebrating Easter: The Good Shepherds Garden Party
Over at Shower of Roses and Waltzing Matilda are collected a whole bunch of ideas for using this sticker calendar. So, I will be borrowing their brilliant ideas and saving myself the frustration of reinventing the wheel.
Here are the weekly themes:
Weekly Themes:
1) The Good Shepherd’s Pasture
2) Welcome to the Lord’s Table
3) The Heavens Tell God’s Glory
4) The Wind and Sea Obey Him
5) The Gardener Plants Paradise
6) Oh! What a Beautiful City
7) The Heavenly Zoo

I got our bulliten board stripped yesterday, added a newly painted "Alleluia" to the top, and put up the 'Garden' poster. Pictures will follow.
I have pulled out all the books for our Easter reading and we are already readingtghrough them.
I am pretty sure I don't have anything like 50 days worth of new material, LOL!

Chesterton Quote

2010-04-03T13:47:00.000-04:00

"Only men to whom the family is sacred will ever have a standard by which to criticize the state." "The Eclipse of Liberty," Eugenics and Other Evils

Did you know?

2010-04-01T21:48:00.002-04:00

• Pope Benedict XVI has a pilot's license for the papal helicopter and likes to fly from the Vatican to the papal summer residence, Castel Gandolfo, but the pope does not have a driver's license as he never learned to drive a car.

Family

2010-04-01T09:54:00.001-04:00

My three littlest angels.

Our little altar for Good Friday.

Aren't the flowers beautiful?

MSNBC Libel's the Holy Father -

2010-03-30T17:55:00.000-04:00

From an email forward from the Catholic League:

Normally I don't even read fwd emails - but this is popping up all over the place.

What Does the Prayer Really Say? has commentary and lots of comments.
At the end of this post is a list of their sponsors.
I have made phone calls and sent emails.
I will shop accordingly.

March 30, 2010

MSNBC LIBELS THE POPE

Catholic League president Bill Donohue accuses MSNBC of libeling Pope Benedict XVI:

Go to the home page of MSNBC and click on "World News." From there click on "Americas." Next click on the article, "Losing Their Religion? Catholicism in Turmoil." Scroll down and in the "Click for Related Content" section there is an article entitled, "Pope Describes Touching Boys: I Went Too Far." Clicking on this piece takes the reader to an article about a homosexual German priest who had sex with males in the 1980s. It says absolutely nothing about the pope. Yet MSNBC paints Pope Benedict XVI as a child molester in the tease to the article.

A retraction, and a sincere apology, are in order. They should also investigate how this happened and who is responsible.

Contact NBC news president Steve Capus: steve.capus@ nbc.com

Jeff Field
Director of Communications
The Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights
450 Seventh Avenue
New York, NY 10123

212-371-3191
212-371-3394 (fax)

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Today's Charlotte Mason Carnival

2010-03-30T13:16:00.000-04:00

Here is where you will find it.
Great stuff.

2010-03-29T20:51:00.002-04:00

When those who are not supposed to sit in judgment do so, they very easily end up as gossiping old maids.

~St. Josemarie Escriva

2010-03-29T20:13:00.002-04:00

The beginning of freedom from anger is silence of the lips when the heart is agitated; the middle is silence of the thoughts when there is a mere disturbance of soul; and the end is the imperturbable calm under the breath of unclean winds." ~St. John Climacus

2010-03-25T21:35:00.002-04:00

All Christians profess humility, but few bear humiliations. Learn to value each one as a preparation for some great grace. It was after bearing insult and hardship that the Blessed Virgin Mary brought forth the Savior of the world.

~From Miniature Life of Mary, Virgin and Mother, 1880

2010-03-25T21:31:00.002-04:00

“Whatever you do, think not of yourself, but of God.” (St. Vincent of Ferrer)

2010-03-25T21:30:00.002-04:00

The ordinary arts we practice every day at home

are of more importance to the soul
than their simplicity might suggest.

~ St. Thomas Moore, martyr

Funny quote

2010-03-25T19:46:00.000-04:00

Thought for the day:

Women are Angels.
And when someone breaks our wings...
we simply continue to fly, on a broomstick!!!
We are flexible like that.

The garden is in!

2010-03-24T21:43:00.005-04:00

Temp - 70

Partly Cloudy and pleasant.

These are my blackberry bushes. They are on the back side of our fence in our CRP - (stands for you pay for it by you can't use it.

Our blueberry bushes are in these tomatoe cages for now, they are also on the back side of our fence.

These are dresser drawers, we used to have them hung on the wall as part of a shelving display with old drawers, sort of like this, only child friendly, they were screwed into our solid concrete and steel walls of our old house. Now, they ae containers for our plants. We painted them and each of the children got to plant their own.

Left to Right

1. lettus

2. oregano

3. dill & thyme

4. basil & marjoram

5. cilantro & radish

Here is our garden, only 5 rows. My dad made them really tall, which will be good - last year I could have grown rice, but hadn't really planned for a hydroponic thing. So, needless to say, all my plants drowned last year. We managed to eat a couple radishes, but nothing else.

So, we don't have far to go to accomplish improvement.

The two round containers will be pole beans. The big dogs got into them last evening, so I needed to brace them with cynder blocks.

I want to plant some marigolds in the holes of the cynder blocks now.

See the orange Home Depot buckets? This is our version of the Topsy Turvy, but affordable, and it will actually take heavy use. 3 tomatoe plants on bottom, and jalopeno, chives and cilantro on top.

Hubby isn't freaking out over the "looks" of it all yet, so I am planning to plant more.

This is outside the kitchen/breakfast area window. These are bushes we rescued from a neighbors trash.
My mom planted some little flowers of some sort down there in the front. They won't grow, or last if they do - my dogs can trample our yard about as well as any herd of cattle.

A bit farther to the left, our bedroom windows. More bushes, just with mulch. I want to place some containers with more veggies back here. It gets full sun. Hmmm. Something not to unsightly or appealing to the dogs.

Quote of the Day for me

2010-03-21T21:10:00.000-04:00

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.

— Edmund Burke

Painted Saints - we did it!

2010-03-17T18:47:00.000-04:00

So, we got together with our friends today and "painted saints"!

Here are the results.....

Dana and her perfect little Saints.

Seriously, they are wonderful!

Our most prolific artist!

the big girls

attention to detail :0)

Our inspiration for an angelic smile....

See, I told you.

See St. Lucia? Her candles are even lit!

St. Katerie & St. Clare

Me - and my efforts.

I will put faces on l8r.

But, I had the best buddy.

Here are all our saints - hmmmm, somehow it seemed like more.....

Several St. Therese the little flower dolls, we are planning to make one for each of our Little Flowers class to give them at the end of the year tea party.

TA DA!

More to come...

Look at what I made

2010-03-16T10:14:00.000-04:00

10 Random Questions Blog Hop - for fun

2010-03-15T13:35:00.001-04:00

Link

1. What time is it right now? 13:32

2. What are you wearing?   Flax dress & bloomers

3. What is your mood? Good

4. What is one thing your children learned today? To leave Grandpa alone when he is having a grumpy day

5. What did you (or are having) for dinner?   Chicken, rice, broccoli, salad

6. What's one book you are currently reading?   Tumultuous Times

7. What behaviour (in people) is the most common but also the rudest?   Saying whatever comes to mind -

8. What can you see out of your nearest window right now?   My garden, that needs to be planted.

9. What are you currently praying for?   Strength to change bad habits.

10. What is your favourite hot beverage?   Coffee

Wooden Peg Dolls

2010-03-12T08:21:00.004-05:00

Inspired by a discussion of "Painted Saints" over at the 4Real Forums I took the plunge.
These are the originals at Catholic Folk Toys.
So, so georgous! Amazing detail.
More than I can afford with my large family and many neices and nephews. . . . . .
Especially when my hubby, mother, and a couple nephews are all artists - so I can get help!

Edit - Please see what Tammy from Catholic Folk Toys commented below.

So I pop over the Casey's Wood purchase a box of people turnings, and I am ready to go.
Insiration from other families doing the Alphabet Path -
Shower of Roses family did these saints (wow!)
Praying for Grace has St Patrick (handy, ey?)
Cherished Hearts - also brilliant
Blair's Blessings did saints and their family! Impressive.

Then I started looking some more -
Grace Violet did little wooden people necklaces - see here
See the Christmas ones she did here

Unbelievable variety of sizes and types of wood dolls att silly Doe!
Whimsical blog dolls here and here (I know a whole bunch of people who will be getting Ninja's back in TX)

Instructions at ehow
Loads of links, examples and instructions right over here (from 2005, where have I been!)
Fairie instructions at Little Sister - when Mary sees these, I am pretty sure we'll do this once anyway
Coats & Clark pattern
Magic Mom - really might be, see Mickey Mouse and Curious George

And, finally - can't start a project without a visit to Crafty Crow

Okey dokey - I am now feeling properly inspired, have printed out my pages of examples, gathered my supplies and cleared the dining room table - I am ready to begin.
If I get lucky - pictures will be forthcoming.

What I am thinking about today.........

2010-03-03T12:07:00.001-05:00

I am using "A Year with the Saints, A Virtue for Every Month of the Year" again this year. The virtue for this month is morification.

"Whoever wishes to be greatest among you shall be your servant, even as the Son of Man has come not to be served but to serve, and give His life as a ransom for many." (gospel)
Today I shall do 5 little services for others without attracting attention.
*Sacred Heart of Jesus, may You be known, loved, and imitated.*

St Francis de Sales:
"It should be our principal business to conquer ourselves, and , from day to day, to go on increasing in strength and perfection. Above all, however, it is necessary for us to strive to conquer our little temptations, such as fits of anger, suspicions, jealousies, envy, deceitfulness, vanity, attachments, and evil thoughts. For in this way we shall acquire strength to subdue greater ones."

and, I really want to sew! Look at these neat notebooks - I am going to make some!
Sew Mama Sew fabric notebooks tutorial
I love comp books, I use them for everything!!!!!!!
Haven't seen a .25cent clearance sale in a long time though - I am getting low.

Want to see my "schoolroom"?

2010-03-03T10:51:00.001-05:00

I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves. ~Anna Quindlen, "Enough Bookshelves," New York Times, 7 August 1991

I have met many homeschoolers who think having a schoolroom is appalling - over the years (and 5 houses) I have had a variety of different situations and for us I much prefer having a dedicated schoolroom.
It keeps my house clean, my school organzied and is just a better overall way for us.

This is the girls room........ after they cleaned it!

I find television to be very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go in the other room and read a book. ~Groucho Marx

Boy's room

Books serve to show a man that those original thoughts of his aren't very new after all. ~Abraham Lincoln

Entrance into my room/schoolroom

Medicine for the soul. ~Inscription over the door of the Library at Thebes

A truly good book teaches me better than to read it. I must soon lay it down, and commence living on its hint.... What I began by reading, I must finish by acting. ~Henry David Thoreau

Cozy, right?

I should include pictures of my garage and attic. That is where the rest of my school stuff is -

In my room, are 7 of the floor to ceiling shelves, and three shorter ones. Plus, my monstrous desk.

You can see books piled EVERYWHERE - dressers, floor (note my night stand in the picture directly over this, it is a stack of the coffee table sized books, with a tray on top.

A few years back, I purchased Decorating with Books, and I am so glad I did. It had some ideas I hadn't thought of.

There is a great deal of difference between an eager man who wants to read a book and a tired man who wants a book to read. ~G.K. Chesterton

A truly good book teaches me better than to read it. I must soon lay it down, and commence living on its hint.... What I began by reading, I must finish by acting. ~Henry David Thoreau

The multitude of books is making us ignorant. ~Voltaire

Stations of the Cross craft/box

2010-03-02T12:12:00.000-05:00

I made our Stations of the Cross box for Lent.
It turned out rather well - for a shoe box painted purple, and covered in packing tape!
see here?

The kids really like using it, - I guess that is what really counts.
There appears to be a lot of stuff - not following the generally standard list - because I stuck in some of the things I have used with my CCD class.
So, those are the 'extra' things. We are still searching for the "right" string, and I want to have the kids make their hand prints too.

Station 1 Jesus is Condemned to Death -- a string to represent the rope used to tie Jesus’ hands

Station 2 Jesus Carries His Cross -- a small cross (palm cross from last years Palm Sunday)
Station 3 Jesus Falls the First Time -- Three band-aids in the box to represent Jesus’ three falls.
Station 4 Jesus Meets His Mother Mary -- a plastic rosary to represent the Blessed Mother
Station 5 Simon Helps Jesus -- small red heart painted red to represent Simon’s generous help in carrying the cross.
Station 6 Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus -- hankie in ours
Station 7 Jesus Falls the Second Time -- see Station 3
Station 8 Jesus Comforts the Women of Jerusalem -- a tissue for their tears
Station 9 Jesus Falls the Third Time -- see Station 3
Station 10 Jesus is Stripped of His Garments -- a small square of purple felt to represent His purple cloak
Station 11 Jesus is Nailed to the Cross -- a large nail cross
Station 12 Jesus Dies on the Cross -- a crucifix (came in the mail)
Station 13 Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross -- a small statue of Michelangelo’s Pieta
Station 14 Jesus is Buried -- a stone to represent the stone rolled in front of the tomb

If you pop over to Catholic Icing you can see how a bunch of other families did theirs.
So many brilliant ideas.
I would love to do this Stained Glass Stations of the Cross at some point.
And, this votive one is wonderful too!

Sewing Lessons -

2010-02-24T09:56:00.002-05:00

Skirts for our American Girl dolls.

"You learn to speak by speaking, to study by studying, to run by running, to work by working, and just so, you learn to love by loving. All those who think to learn in any other way deceive themselves."

~ St. Francis de Sales

Why we need Lent........

2010-02-24T09:20:00.001-05:00

I read this Catholic Culture article entitled "Why we need Lent" today.

I have been reading excerpts from Gueranger's Liturgical Year regarding Lent -
Here in English......... I usually look up the linked readings from Daily Catholic.

Each year I attempt to learn more and make a better Lent than the year before.
Each year I see my flaws so clearly and very how far I have to go.
Each year, I also see the progress made over a lifetime of learning and working to improve.

Dom Prosper Gueranger 1805 - 1875

Catholic childrens books - devotional in nature usage

2010-02-24T08:52:00.000-05:00

Books we use that are Catholic in tone and theology:

For the Preschool to First Communion crowd:

** Their Hearts are His Garden (Sister Mary Marguerite - Neumann Press)

** Manners in God's House (Sister M. Juliana of the Maryknoll Sisters - Neumann Press)

** Illustrated Catechism for Little Children (Neumann Press)

** Jesus and Mary - The Lives of Jesus and Mary and the Story of Fatima (Father Gales - Neumann Press)

** Angel Food for Boys and Girls (Father Gerald Brennan - Neumann Press)

** The Catholic Children's Treasure Box Books (edited by the Maryknoll Sisters - TAN)

** My Jesus and I (The Sisters of Mary Immaculate of Bishop Morrow

** Leading the Little Ones to Mary (Sister Mary Lelia - Montfort Publications)

** God's Love Story (Sister Mary Jane Frances)

** Small Acts of Kindness (James Vollbracht)

** Miniature Stories of the Saints (Rev. Daniel Lord)

** Saints biographies found at Neumann Press

** Saints and Friendly Beasts Series at Neumann Press

** Catholic Mosaic (Cay Gibson - Hillside)

For the First Communion and older crowd:

** Devotional Stories for Little Folks (Nancy Nicholson - CHC)

** Devotional Stories for Little Folks too(Nancy Nicholson - CHC)

** Rare Catholic Stories and Poems (CHC)

** More Rare Catholic Stories and Poems (CHC)

** Angel Food for Boys and Girls (Father Brennan - Neumann Press)

** Stories to Learn By (Msgr. John Koenig)

** Parables to Learn By (Bob Hartman)

** King of the Golden City (Mother Mary Loyola - CHC)

** Catholic Tales for Boys and Girls (Caryll Houselander - Sophia Institute Press)

** More Catholic Tales for Boys and Girls (Caryll Houselander - Sophia Institute Press)

** Stories of the Child Jesus from Many Lands (A. Fowler Lutz - Sophia Institute Press)

** St. Patrick's Summer (Marigold Hunt - Sophia Institute Press)

** The First Christians (Marigold Hunt - Sophia Institute Press)

** A Life of Our Lord for Children (Marigold Hunt - Sophia Institute Press)

Quotes & What I am thinking about today

2010-02-15T10:25:00.002-05:00

St. Francis Of Assisi:
Each one should confidently make known his need to the other, so that he might find what he needs and minister to him. And each one should love and care for his brother in all those things in which God will give him grace, as a mother loves and cares for her son.

Lent is coming quickly now.
I am trying to remember that Lent is for spring cleaning, physically and spiritually.

Sewing

2010-02-02T16:22:00.001-05:00

http://www.angelfire.com/planet/mcshelpsite/sewingstuff/freepatterns.html/#purses
There are tons of great ideas here.....

I saw a pattern for a "mug bucket" in the Simplicity book - I am trying to find directions for it on the internet.
No luck so far, but lots of great ideas. I love all the stiff bags (buckets) that I have seen. I guess it is time to branch out and try to use interfacing.

http://madquilter.blogspot.com/2008/11/mug-bag-tutorial.html
little bag for a cup

plastic bag tote
http://www.myrecycledbags.com/2009/01/15/free-recycled-valentines-bag-pattern/

Happy 55th Birthday Wolfson Children's Hospital

2010-01-30T08:33:00.000-05:00

Here is what we will be doing today:
Wolfson 55 website
See Greg's page here.
I will post pictures later today.

Today's quote again from St. Francis de Sales -
Heretics are heretics and bear the name, becuase out of the articles of faith they choose at their taste and pleasure those which it seems good to them to believe, rejecting and denying the others. And Catholics are Catholics, becuase without any choice or election they embrace, with an equal assureance and without exception, all the faith of the Church.

ACT OF FAITH

O MY GOD, I firmly believe that Thou art one God in Three Divine Persons, Father, Son and Holy Ghost. I believe that Thy Divine Son became Man, and died for our sins, and that He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe these and all the truths which the Holy Catholic Church teaches, because Thou hast revealed them, Who canst neither deceive nor be deceived.

Thoughts from St. Francis de Sales

2010-01-29T07:21:00.001-05:00

To be able to advance much in perfection it is necessary to apply ourselves to one thing by itself - to a single book of devotion , to a single spiritual exercise, to a single aspiration, to a single virtue, and so on. Not, indeed, that all other things ought to be quite rejected and passed by, but in such a way that this to whichone is applying himself may usually be aimed at more in particular and as the special object of the most frequent effort, so that if one chance to turn to others, these may be like accessories. To do otherwise, by passing from one exercise to another, is to imitate those who spoil their appetite at a banquet by tasting a little of every delicacy. It is perpetually seeking, and never attaining, the science of the Saints, and so it results in losing that tranquillity of spirit in God, which is the "one thing needful" that Mary chose. We must, however, guard ourselves here from one fault, into which many fall. It is that of attaching ourselves too much to our own practices and spiritual exercises. This, naturally, makes us feel dislike for all methods not conformed to our own; for each one thinks that he employs the only suitable one, and cinsiders as imperfect those who do not work in the same way. Whoever has a good spirit draws edification from everything, and condemns nothing.

2010-01-26T10:33:00.002-05:00

Avoiding burnout.............

2010-01-14T12:47:00.001-05:00

Short Circuiting the February Blues

This is a topic up for discussion on the 4real board today.
I haven't suffered from crippling burnout for a number of years now, due in part I think to the fact that I am no longer juggling school with infants, toddlers, and martial arts training. My youngest is now five.
However, my parents have moved in with us recently, and I am going through a major change in my home overall. Having them here, while wonderful, presents some brand new challenges. So, I am working to make it all 'gel' for all the family members.

February blues usally force me to shake up our learning time, and start to add in more learning activities; nature walks (living in Florida makes this fabulous, who can be cranky at the beach?), crafts(sewing and making handicrafts for us after months of finishing gifts for Christmas is always fun and rewarding), drama, and much more. This is the time of year we feel free to veer off on whatever tangent (or rabbit trail if you prefer) we feel compulsive over.
I have learned to maintain limiting my outside committments and activities. That alone took years. I still struggle with thinking "well, it is only one day/weekend/whatever per month, I can do that". Fortunately, my sweet hubby actually spoke up with a "no more, you have enough now" this year after I was asked to teach CCD. My personal mantra is this: "If you are going to homeschool, you have to stay home - and do school." I see too many ladies struggling with dozens of outside commitments and good academics. Balance can be elusive and hard to find. My husband and friends are an excellent source of reason when I can't locate my own.
The biggest mistake I make is comparing my insides to other peoples outsides. Comparing at all is toxic enough, but when I start to compare what I think another family does, accomplishes, and is - we never come out on top.

I must always keep my eyes on my long term goal for my children and family, heaven.
To do this I have to:
*keep a realistic grasp on our schedule and what kind of time we can reasonably spend doing outside activities,
*choose activities according to what is truely valuable, not just what is good, or fun or available.
*know what my abilities, and limitations are as well as those of my children -
and with this knowledge fit our school to our family and it's ever changing circumstances....
Then, I will be able to avoid the doldrums that come along.

Last year I organized a series of monthly mom's meetings at my home.
I showed DVD workshops from Elizabeth Foss's Convention, and Simply Charlotte Mason.
It was a great time, us mom's watched the tapes, talked and supported one another.
I organzied centers around my house so that the kids had different things to do and play. The teenagers really stepped up to help with crowd control, everyone brought yummy food and we really had a terrific time. As an added bonus, my house was really clean and well decorated (liturgically speaking) once a month. It was super.

This year, I really don't feel it is an option. My mother is easily "nervous". I don't think 50 extra kids in the house would be very pleasant for her.
So, I am mulling over a book study (via email) option instead. But, I haven't really seen much interest. So, perhaps I will just wait for another opportunity in the future for something else along the same line as last years Mom's Meetings.

Raymond & Dorothy Moore's book "How to Avoid Homeschool Burnout" remains one of my favorite books. I frequently break out my old favorites on homeschooling during this time of the year.
Here are some of my top picks when I need some sunshine in my homeschooling wife/mom life.

1. How to Homeschool, by Gayle Graham
2. Homeschooling with a Meek & Quiet Spirit, by Terry Maxwell
3. Educating the Wholehearted Child, by Sally Clarkson
4. A Charlotte Mason Companion, by Karen Andreola
5. Real Learning, by Elizabeth Foss

I usually run across new books I had not heard of when I do this, but in checking out and reading some of the newer ones the past number of years - I have never found any I preferred to the six I named above.

Here are a whole slew articles I like to dig through - How to Avoid Burnout
This is when I start learning of newer books :0)

And of course, I like to talk with other homeschooling mom's. Noone better understands our unique struggles and challenges than the other ladies standing in the trenches with me.

My homeschool has gone to the dogs

2010-01-12T12:00:00.000-05:00

One, two............

three, four.

What can I make with a man's shirt

2010-01-12T10:55:00.029-05:00

So..................

Mom just brought me a giant pile of my dad's outgrown shirts (too big, he's littler now that he had surgery and didn't get to eat for a month.) and started me thinking -
What can I make?
So - I have been reading the Wardrobe Refashion blog, and following it on to other crafty blogs seeing what people are sewing.
Low and behold - someone or someones already thought of this, and I am not talking shorter sleeves.

Babydoll dress here
Mans polo to a dress
Dress shirt to kids jumper
to sleeveless blouse no real stretch by still
to a peasant blouse
to a skirt
to a babydoll top
Toddler dress
Girls dress
dropwaist dress
Little girl dress - cute

So, where to begin?
I have 8 shirts.

Art Supplies & the storage of............

2010-01-12T10:52:00.001-05:00

So - I saw this blog: Wildflower and Marbles and do I every feel lame.

Now, since I no longer have a giant dedicated schoolroom - I am strying to figure out the best and most efficent way to organize our school, books, and supplies.
So far -

I have 2 giant 4 drawer file cabinets in the garage.
Shelves in the garage
Crates full of supplies, some books and more in the attic (trying for things I don't need constantly)
Shelves in my bedroom, the hall, the kids bedrooms and closets.
And a few stashed in closets.
My living room shelves are by and large empty, so my parents can put out their things.

But, by stash and dash method is not working for creative bursts.

I don't mind living in a little beige homeschool house, I am good with it after all these years - we DO things.
But, I am so concerned about trying to make sure everyone is comfortable and taken care of.....
So - I am looking for some inspiration.

And a system that will actually work.

This is where we do school now :-0

2010-01-11T10:45:00.000-05:00

It is my bedroom.

Cuisinaire rods, the floor daddy's side of the bed.

Note the dogs - bassett hound in the sun on MY pillows. Hence the blanket covering.

Lab at the foot of the bed.

Daughter standing at bed and working at math, see the ruler.

Gator fan, kneeling on the floor and working at the blanket chest.

What a great idea - embroidery & Quilting

2010-01-10T17:39:00.000-05:00

So many wonderfully brilliant homeschooling mothers out there.
I just have to do this with the girls.
Or maybe with the handmaids.............

This is a quilt, with embroidered squares:
First look here: http://showerofroses.blogspot.com/2009/09/highlights-from-e-week.html
scroll down a bit.
Then go here: http://tirdtwang.blogspot.com/search/label/Saints%20'N%20Stitches
and this one too - http://amy-caroline.blogspot.com/2010/01/watching-over-me.html
more: http://anniemm.typepad.com/running_with_perseverance/2009/07/stitching-st-cecilia.html

Bookshelves

2010-01-02T17:53:00.000-05:00

Pictures of Deavon

2010-01-01T10:11:00.000-05:00

In these next two, he is on the right in the red, white and black jacket.

Tall, isn't he?

Gosh, I miss my Deavon.
Pope St. Leo the Great, pray for my son.

New Years Eve - The 7th Day of Christmas - Resolutions/Goals & More

2009-12-31T12:05:00.001-05:00

What I am reading & printing today:
Green living tips
This from the YMCA looks interesting.
20 Questions for New Years Eve Reflection
101 Goals in 1001 Days

7th Day of Christmas at Catholic Culture - Feast of St. Sylvestor
more New Years at Catholic Culture
so many wonderful ideas!

New Years things for the children:
New Years Around the World Unit be sure to check the booklist at the bottom.
Resolutions for children we didn't write all these things, but talked about them.
For my youngest - resolutions worksheet
For the biggers - here and here.

And we are still working of the 12 days of Christmas Lapbook
See it at Lapbooks for Catholics............

On the 6th Day of Christmas

2009-12-30T11:30:00.000-05:00

2 Thessalonians 2: 14, to "stand firm; and hold the traditions which you have learned."
6 geese a laying = 6 days of creation.............

I am overthinking about my goals & resolutions for the New Year I think.
I have a million things swimming around in my head I want to accomplish.
I think ok, I will start this... Then I walk through a room, see 3 other things I need to get done also, do a quicky on the way by make a mental note (I keep losing these notes!) and then figure out what I originally set out to do.
I think my biggest problem right now, is that I want to take my Christmas tree, and all the decorations except for the Nativity set down. My family wanted it up for another week - so it will come down this weekend.
Normally, I really throw down for decorations this time of year. We have things we have collected over the years made, and inherited. I don't reach the heights my favorite brother-in-law & sister-in-law achieve (they are on this tour of homes ride in their city, and they dress up like Santa and Rudolf - all the kids come and deliver their Christmas wished/lists to them. They really ROCK! He takes a week vacation and they spend all that time plus putting up everything and decorating every single room in the house and the outdoors for the holiday. Anyway, not this year - I just couldn't take the clutter and the stress.

My mother and my mother-in-law are absolutely artists at decorating. My mother was an interior designer for years and years, and both are artists in various areas and crafts. My point being, I come by all this naturally. I used to think it was normal - then I started looking around at friends homes and noticed I was mistaken. :0)
And, I just thought people were being polite when the commented on my decorations. I didn't realize they were in shock!

This year, because my parents have just moved in I wanted to keep it a little more simple.
We put up the tree, a few items here and there, decorated the banister and shelves in the livingroom naturally.
But, I left much of the extra decorations in the attic.
Normally, my family is happy if I don't try to take it all down Christmas night. Not this year.
I just can't take the mess - it seems to be inside of every gift that we get - a little extra mess for free!
So, today, I rearranged a bit.
Nativity to the piano, linens picked up and plans for what goes where this weekend.
How much of this is trying to control what I can?
Thoughts to ponder............

Here are some of my To Do's -
I'll throw it out here and see what sticks.

Today things:
Dinner - in crockpot and cooking
Sewing - Our lady of Guadelupe tote bags for the girls.
Look at McCalls patterns so I can send a list of ones to buy with mom & G1 tomorrow at Joanns fabric. (on sale .99)
Organize my closet
Put away our clothes
Clean G2s room

After today things:
move "Art Gallery" pictures from breakfast room
Make and hang idea board in breakfast room
Hang pictures in my room
Organize and sort books more
Clean & organize garage
Organize attic
call for charity pick up
Finish preparations for Mary's 1st Communion Notebook.
Find the time to devote to doing the activities with her
Plan rest of CCD year lesson plans.
Purge, purge, purge, purge

In the next year..................

Tuesday Tea Party

2009-12-29T18:56:00.000-05:00

The Fifth Day of Christmas

2009-12-29T10:13:00.002-05:00

St. Thomas Becket

Bishop & Martyr

Sister Wendy Beckett of the Art books and video fame is his relative. ! I only knew this because of her video where she mentioned it.

Books: Augustine Came to Kent,
Murder in the Cathedral, TS Eliot
Canterbury Tales
Website: The Murder of Thomas Becket
Movie: Becket - I don't have this one, we will settle for watching Sr. Wendy.

.-"Learn from St. Thomas," says Father Faber, "to fight the good fight even to the shedding of blood, or, to what men find harder, the shedding of their good name by pouring it out to waste on the earth."

Today, ask Saint Thomas to help us be courageous witnesses of the Catholic faith.

3rd day of Christmas - Feast of the Holy Family

2009-12-27T08:36:00.000-05:00

The three French hens represent the Three theological Virtues of FAITH, HOPE and CHARITY which enabled Catholics to stay in the state of grace by practicing and promulgating these vital virtues when the sacraments were not readily available.

The mother is the sun of the family. She is its sun by her spirit of generosity and sacrifice, by her constant readiness, vigilance, delicacy and tact in all that touches the happiness of her husband and her children; she radiates light and warmth. …

The wife is the sun of the family by the light of her smile and the warmth of her word: a smile and words that inspire, mold and soften the soul, raise it above the tumult of passion, and bring to the husband the enjoyment of good and of family life at the end of a long day of continual and perhaps difficult work in his profession, either in the fields or in the taxing affairs of commerce and industry. One glance from her eyes throws a light with manifold reflections; one sound from her lips contains a thousand words of affection. Such light and sound spring from a mother's heart, create and enliven the paradise of childhood, radiate goodness and gentleness everywhere even when they upbraid and reprove, so that young souls which feel more deeply, may understand more thoroughly and profoundly the laws of love.

The wife is the sun of the family by her natural frankness, by her straightforward dignity, by her irreproachable Christian behavior. She is its sun in the recollection and rectitude of spirit, in the subtle harmony of her bearing and dress, in her elegance and in her deportment - at once both reserved and affectionate. Delicacy of sentiment, charm of countenance, ingenuous silences and smiles, a compliant nod … all give to her the grace of an exquisite, unspoiled flower, which opens its petals to receive and reflect the colors of the sun. If you only knew with what profound sentiments of love and appreciation such a picture of wife and mother fills and impresses the heart of husband and children! …

What happens when the family is deprived of that sun? When the wife continuously - even in the most intimate circumstances - does not hesitate to make known what great sacrifices she makes for married life? What happens to her lovable sweetness when because of an excessively severe upbringing, unbridled irritability, and an angry coldness of countenance and speech suffocate in the children the hope of finding happiness and joyful solace in their mother? What happens when she sadly does nought else but disturb and embitter the loyal unity of the family circle with sharp tones, complaints and reprovals?

What happens to the generous tact and tender love when instead of forming with natural and exquisite simplicity an atmosphere of pleasant peace in the home, she takes the attitude of a dissatisfied, nervous and demanding lady, according to the fashion? Is this to diffuse the warmth and life of the sun? Is it not rather to freeze with the chill wind of eventide the garden which is the family?

Can anyone wonder that in such circumstances, the husband does not find at the fireside anything to attract, hold and comfort him? That the husband will escape from it as much as he can, thus provoking a similar desertion on the part of the wife - if indeed it is not her absence which provokes his? Both thus go to seek elsewhere - with grave danger to their souls and to the great harm of the family unity - the peace, rest, and pleasure denied them in their own home. In this state of affairs, the unfortunates who suffer most are undoubtedly the children.

You see, o wifes, to what an extent you are responsible for the harmony and happiness of the home. Just as it is the duty of your husband to work to provide the necessities for the home, it is your duty by your wisdom to ensure its proper well-being and to procure the undisturbed serenity of your common life. This is not only an office given you by nature, but a duty of Christian virtue, by the acts and merits of which you grow in the love and grace of God.

(Pius XII, Allocution to newly-weds of March 11, 1942)

More thoughts on the duties of a wife.
more

Courtesy in the Catholic Home

Reading posts at 4 Real Learning about Home Management Binders.............
and I love the Home Management BOX. Perfect and a set size...........
the fun part of getting ready for the New Year is upon me!
Read, plan, read, plan.
I love to read and plan!

then.....................
the most important, and often difficult part

DO IT!!!!

DO IT

DO IT
DO IT
DO IT

This is something that has repeatedly made my list of resolutions in the past.

I am happy to report that I am making progress as the years go by.

It is a weakness of mine, and something I work on daily. In thought, word, and deed.

Thank you, O Lord for your assistance in this area.

+AMDG+

Craft Ideas - quilted potholders & more

2009-12-26T19:02:00.000-05:00

I saw these at JoAnnes fabrics.
cute - the kind of quilt project I can accomplish.

More/year end wrap up and next years plans/resolutions

2009-12-26T17:10:00.001-05:00

Look here - a secret Santa kind of 12 days of Christmas activity.
Still feeling uninspired - I think my pep and vigor will return tomorrow.
Still looking for coloring pages............... to no avail.

So, in the meantime - I will keep looking around, reading the blogs of other Catholic homeschoolers and absorbing the brilliance around me.

My family is playing board games, doing a puzzle and ignoring the sweets we have eaten until we actually don't want anymore.

1.   Good thing, I resolve to work at getting healthy in the New Year.
Diet, exercise, I am quitting smoking (have been taking Chantix for 1 day over a week) and want it to stick! I have been trying for a number of years - it took me until the past year to come to the place where I actually desperately want to quit smoking. I need a patron saint of quitting smoking.   I will have to look into that.
This is lifetime project - time to renew my resolve.

Thinking about Gabrielle, what direction we need to take to guide her into her future properly.
I was looking at the SM Davis' talk the influence of the older child on the younger.
I think we can get it on VHS and get her to watch it.
The part that makes me crazy is this, she "knows". She "forgot", she "knows", she's "sorry".
I need a magic pill for this one, I swear.

2.   I resolve to save money -
Depression era motto I love:
Use it up

Wear it out
Make it do
Do without

2.5     I resolve to become a better steward of all that God has given me.
I have been reading this blog - Celebrating a Year of Abundance - it was a couple years ago that she blogged this series. It is in the spirit of what I am aiming for.
Voluntary simplicity, frugal living,
Doesn't really seem like #3 - so let's call it 2 and a half.

Part of my clutter clearing, cleaning obsession right now is due to Christmas.
Most of it is due to the fact that my parents have moved in. My mother is a hoarder.
A selfish, self-centered, psycotic, drug-addicted hoarder. And she's mean.
Now......    Add on to that the plain simple fact that she can't stand me.
Never could. So, she is making the little jabs continually day after day. All day long.

Now, I am married to the most wonderful, perfect man in the world.
He is my knight in shining armor, my prince, my hero, my Mr. Perfect in every way.
I have the kind of marriage that I never even knew existed, let alone thought I could have.
Matthew "completes me" to quote some corny movie line.
But, true for us.
So, I have become used to being liked and treated well the coarse of our life together.
I am no longer used to being picked at, insulted, and generally treated poorly day in and day out.
It has been more of a vacation thing............. that I can leave.
So - I am going to have to develope a new strategy of some sort to deal with the negativity I am now living with. I suppose I should make this a resolution.
Hoping it will go away never really worked out for me.

3. Planning & School Goals

4. Household Goals

5. Spiritual Goals - happy to report that I have added consistent, daily prayer/reflection time. I do it in the morning with an abbreviated Liturgy of the Hours.

6. Books to Read - (let's call this personal improvement - so it sounds like work)

7. Christmas gifts for next year - I want to plan and make then make these with the children

Getting Ready - New Years Resolutions 2010

2009-12-26T07:56:00.002-05:00

I love the start of a new year.
Each year, I look at my previous years "New Years Resolutions" and see what I have accomplished, and what I still have to work on. Currently - I don't know where my journal from the beginning of last year (2009) is. I am not sure I still have it. It might have been one of those I threw away. I have thrown out giant stacks of my journals. I don't figure any of my children will want a mountain of journals. So, my plan here is to die with 1 left for each of them.
Then I make resoltions for my new Year -

I have been surfing around this morning a little online and looking at what other homeschooling families mom's are doing and how they are doing it. I can't stand it when people give the smug "I don't make New Years Resolutions" line/speech. It is annoying and condescending. And quite frankly, I think it smacks of laziness.

Why do I make New Years resolutions?
Well because I haven't arrived yet. I still have lots and lots of work to do before I will be pleasing in the eyes of God. I try every day to be a better wife, mother, daughter and friend. For me, it is WORK - I am like that silly bumper sticker, "Be patient, God isn't finished with me yet."

So, today as I go through my work I will be thinking......
Thinking about what I will strive to achieve in the coming year.

More l8r........................

Solemnity of Christmas

2009-12-25T23:30:00.001-05:00

Merry Christmas!

It has been a lovely day all in all. Matthew, my dad, Mary and I all went to Mass at 10am. My mom, Gabrielle, Eizabeth went at noon. Gregory is a sick so he needed to stay home.
The children didn't get up until after 7am. I was quite surprised.... I kept waking up in anticipation of being woke up. Ha! You never get what you expect when you are a mom, I guess.

So, today is the first day of Christmas. Advent is over and Christmas begins. I forget how long exactly it lasts. I will figure it out again in the next few days. I was at the Catholic Culture site tonight, while my family was playing Mario Cart on the Wii looking at the 12 days of Chistmas articles they have there. I found a few activities and recipes I want to incorporate. I will try to keep them all posted. Perhaps, even get up a picture. That would be a surprise. I was also looking for 12 days of Christmas coloring pages - to no avail. I have this super little book with the 12 days coloring pages - but it is in my 365 file cabinet - which is blocked from access in my garage.

I saw this website a while back Just Another Day in Paradise and wow! Waltzing Matilda is pretty impressive in her perparations, too. I stand in awe of the talent, creativity and ability to manage so many tasks in the homemaking, homeschooling and lives in general. The 4 Real Learning Boards have the same effect on me. I just have to keep reminding myself, that I can't compare my insides with other peoples outsides. My goal is getting my family to Heaven. To live our faith - for Catholic to be who we are not just something we do on Sunday. So, just for today, I will be content in the knowledge that my children are Catohlic, they understand their faith. The regularly question different aspects of what we are discussing, celebrating, or recognizing for any particular day. That IS what I am working for.

I jsut learned how to use the link button. I will join the new technology age one way or another I guess.

So, now I begin thinking about my plans for the New Year (2010) what I will make for new resolutions.
Sitting beside my journal about to open it and see where I stand with last years goals. . . .
I have my usual: quit smoking, lose weight, exercise and same money............
And those I will continue to work on.

12 days of Christmas
12 days of Christmas
12 days of Christmas

Tonight, I am tired.

2nd Thursday in Advent - Errand Day & More

2009-12-10T07:55:00.000-05:00

"It is a sad fact that the most apostate council in the history of the Church closed on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary."

Archbishop Fulton Sheen - the cause for his canonization -
http://www.archbishopsheencause.org/
There was a memorial mass held yesterday in St. Patrick's Cathedral in NYC
http://www.ncregister.com/daily/memorial_mass_for_archbishop_fulton_sheen/

To Do List:
1. Sam's Club shopping - make list first, duh.
2. Make a sugar free desert for Respect Life Cmte. meeting
3. Reread Castii Canubi
RL cmtee growth
4. First Communion Lapbook copies for Mary
5. Jesse Tree Ornaments, Holy Hero's, the new story book about Jesse Tree's

Quote of the Day:
"Nothing so prevents us from perfecting ourselves in the vocation we have as wishing for another."
St. Jane Francis de Chantal

it's a keeper!

Goal: I want to learn this prayer. I am going to have the girls make the chaplets (as seen here: http://ebeth.typepad.com/reallearning/2009/11/st-andrew-chaplets.html and here: )
It is such a glorious prayer. The 15 times a day threw me off - sounded to big to accomplish.
But, no more.

St. Andrew Novena

Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in piercing cold. In that hour, vouchsafe, O my God! to hear my prayer and grant my desires, through the merits of Our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of His Blessed Mother. Amen.

(It is piously believed that whoever recites the above prayer fifteen times a day from the feast of St. Andrew (30th November) until Christmas will obtain what is asked.)

Imprimatur
+MICHAEL AUGUSTINE, Archbishop of New York
New York, February 6, 1897

LIturgy of the Hours, Divine Office, Breviary

2009-11-21T20:25:00.000-05:00

Found this today:
http://www.breviary.net/

This is what I was looking for:

large enough to print out.
Still looking.

Then there is this:
http://www.ebreviary.com/
http://www.universalis.com/20091122/n-web.htm
http://medievalist.net/hourstxt/home.htm

Explination here: http://www.ewtn.com/expert/answers/breviary.htm
I read this one: Christian Prayer, a one-volume edition of the Liturgy of the Hours (Catholic Book Pub.). This version contains the complete texts of Morning and Evening Prayer for the entire year. It lacks the variety of proper readings and prayers found in the four volume edition. However, it makes a good "starter edition" for the laity, and generally is adequate for following along in community recitation of the Office. There is also a large print edition for the visually impaired.

I always think I want the big 4 volume number - but I actually use the one I have now.
I also listen to the LOH and daily readings in the morning when I am getting ready on podcast.
Ipod is certainly one of the coolest inventions EVER.
Check this out: http://divineoffice.org/

I am looking for this - Little Office of the Blessed Virgin http://www.kellerbook.com/PARVUM~1.HTM
I have it printed out in pdf, but it just isn't the same as holding the book.

Last Sunday of the Liturgical Year - CCD Prep, Advent Planning, etc

2009-11-21T18:08:00.000-05:00

I am trying to prepare for my CCD class tomorrow.
The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ the King, B
So, in my searching I wonder why the feast is this Sunday on the new calendar, and the last Sunday of October on the traditional calendar.
I want to teach the girls about the liturgical calendar, and our Church year.
I have been looking for activities to SHOW it to them visually, but it is so difficult to plan for something meaningful, that will stick when I only have 30 or less minutes with them.
I wish I had a color printer so I could print out a Christ the King picture for tomorrow. I found an amazing black and white one, but it was tiny and I can't get it bigger.

Then, for next week, I want to have an advent project for them, that they can follow through Advent.
So, I saw this blog Under Her Starry Mantle and WOW! What an amazing project. And absolutely lovely images. Do I feel inadequate.
Will I ever be able to get all this together, and live it in such a way as to really impact my children for life?
Because that is the real purpose, not some artsy, craftsy vision I imagine as "just right". Color me the Catholic Martha Stewart.
There are so many talented women out there homeschooling and raising large families. When I really look at it, I can see the things I am able to accomplish in my home, with my children now - that would have only been a pipe dream years ago. So, progress is being made.
And that is something afterall.
Progress, not perfect after all..............

Just for Today

2009-11-19T11:30:00.000-05:00

Wow! What a great article by Elizabeth Foss.
http://catholicherald.com/opinions/detail.html?sub_id=11550

This year when I was reorganizing the house, and our schoolroom - I actually started purging some of our school things and some of the holiday resources. Generally speaking, I just pulled everything out, looked through it and chose just what we were actually going to do.
All the while trying not to feel guilty for not doing enough, or the right kind or what have you.
I read on the 4real learning board, on other Catholic homeschoolers blogs and know I will never achieve that level of ??????? I don't know what.
Something I don't have.
These days I am not even sure I am trying for it anymore.
We have a pattern that works for our family. We live the liturgical year as much as we can, and try to live our lives for God. Even my youngest child knows why we are here: to know, love, and serve God.
Not for ourselves.

So, I may never enter a lovliness of anything fair online, but I will continue to learn, and know what how other families are trying to live out their faith. And, just as I always have, I will continue to be inspired to grow by the amazing things that other families manage to pull off.

Tuesday tantrums

2009-11-17T21:08:00.000-05:00

One of the funniest things I ever read.

2009-11-16T11:02:00.000-05:00

Hello! Welcome to the Psychiatric Hotline,
your HMO's full service crisis intervention facility.

If you are obsessive-compulsive, please press 1 repeatedly.

If you are co-dependent, please ask someone to press 2.

If you have multiple personalitites, please press 3,4,5, and 6.

If you are paranoid-delusional, we know who you are and what you want.
Stay one the line.
We are already tracing your call.
If you are schizophrenic, listen carefully and a little voice will tell you which number to press.

If you are depressed, it doesn't matter which number you press.
No one will answer.

Handmaidens of the Altar day

2009-11-14T08:32:00.000-05:00

http://www.apologiaonline.com/conf/hs_sol.pdf
Interesting information to have.

http://education.qld.gov.au/library/edhistory/topics/manners.html
Good manners chart, cute and might be handy for co-ops and so forth.

Moving away from Texas means I don't have friends giving me hand-me-downs anymore.
I need to buy clothes for all my little kids! This is a new experience.
And, I have not been able to get into the garage sale habit here in FL.
Too much water, the streets don't connect properly.
Godmother Sandi is rounding up some hand-me-downs for the girls to send home with Grandpa.
That will help, now for Greg.
And he actually has an opinion about what he likes.
Geez!

New Phones

2009-11-12T19:26:00.000-05:00

This is the new phone Gabrielle and I are getting.

She picked it out.

When she and daddy get home from the Sprint store, I will be taking the brand new birthday phone away from her. I am sure it will be ugly -

I am going through a disciplinary issue with all of my girls right now.

So, follow through becomes VITAL.

Ugh.

Rosary Pouch pattern here: http://littlehouseinthesuburbs.com/2009/01/rosary-pouch.html

so cute! I have made the rosary http://littlehouseinthesuburbs.com/2008/12/crocheted-rosary.html and several more using "garland" directions. Maybe I will whip out some crochet garland for Christmas this year. Or have the little girls do some. That will be an easy learning pattern I think.

I am about to finish Mary's afgan, and am needing to choose a new pattern.

I was looking at Crochet Pattern Directory...........

love that site.

Lacy soda can covers: http://www.jpfun.com/patterns/free/pencil_cups/f117003sodacancover.pdf

I just wish my grannies were still alive. I'd make them both one!

OOOOhhhhhhh - hanger covers here: http://www.sugarncream.com/data/pattern/pdf/Lily_SugarnCream570817_13_cr_cover.en_US.pdf

and here: http://crochetjessica.wordpress.com/2009/09/05/hanger-cover/

fun christmas presents I think.

Memorial St. Josaphat, Bishop & Martyr

2009-11-12T09:54:00.001-05:00

This saint's story is covered in Seton's English For Young Catholics 3.
We loved it.
Catholic Culture has some interesting recipe's for today - my nod to festiveness will be potatoe soup.
We finally have a nice cool (60's) day here.

This is my oldest son Deavon.

Happy 16th Birthday.

Today:
School
Errands   (Sam's & Michaels for candles)
Buy Greg sweatpants! He's got taller!
Baking for Adoption Information Night tomorrow at Church.
            Cornbread
             Cookies

Finish Mary's afgan.
Pick a new project to begin.

For my friend -

30-Day Prayer to Saint Joseph

Chaste Spouse of the Ever-Immaculate and Blessed Virgin Mary, and foster father of Jesus Christ.

Taken from The Key of Heaven, A Manual of Prayer by the Rt. Rev. J. Milner, DD, published with the Imprimatur of His Eminence James Cardinal Gibbons, Archbishop of Baltimore, 1898 and said over a 30-day period to obtain a happy death and other good intentions asked in petition. Most traditionally said 30 days prior to the Feast of St. Joseph on March 19.

Daily Prayer to St. Joseph

O Glorious Saint Joseph, faithful follower of Jesus Christ, to thee do we raise our hearts and hands, to implore thy powerful intercession in obtaining from the benign Heart of Jesus all the helps and graces necessary for our spiritual and temporal welfare, particularly the grace of a happy death, and the a favor we now implore
(Add your petition here)
O Glorious St. Joseph! Through the love thou bearest to Jesus Christ and for the glory of His name, hear our prayers and obtain our petitions. Jesus, Mary and Joseph, assist us!

Indulgenced Prayers in honor of St. Joseph

Grant, O holy Joseph, that, ever secure under thy protection, we may pass our lives without sin. (Ind. of 300 days.)

St. Joseph, foster-father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and true spouse of Mary ever Virgin, pray for us. (Ind. of 300 days.)

St. Joseph, model and patron of those who love the Sacred Heart of Jesus, pray for us. (Ind. of 300 days.)
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Longer Thirty Day Novena to St. Joseph
Ever blessed and glorious Joseph, kind and indulgent Father, and compassionate friend of all in sorrow, through that bitter grief with which thy heart was saturated when thou didst behold the sufferings of the Infant Savior, and in prophetic view didst contemplate His most ignominious Passion and Death; take pity, I beseech thee, on my poverty and necessities; counsel me in my doubts; and console me in all my anxieties. Thou art the good Father and protector of orphans, the advocate of the defenseless, the patron of those who are in need and desolation. Do not disregard the petition of thy poor child; my sins have drawn upon me the just displeasure of my God, and hence I am surrounded with sorrows.

To thee, o amiable guardian of the poor neglected family of Nazareth, do I fly for shelter and protection. Listen, then, I entreat thee, with a father's solicitude, to the earnest prayer of thy poor supplicant, and obtain for me the objects of my petition. I ask it by the infinite mercy of the eternal Son of God; which induced Him to assume our nature, and be born in this world of sorrow. I ask it by the griref which filled thy heart, when, ignorant of the mystery wrought in thy Immaculate spouse, thou didst fear thou shouldst be separated from her.

I ask it by that weariness, solicitude and suffering which thou didst endure when thou soughtest in vain at the inns of Bethlehem a shelter for the sacred virgin and a birthplace for the Infant God, and, when being everywhere refused, thou wert obliged to consent that the Queen of Heaven should give birth to the world's Redeemer in a wretched stable.

I ask it by that most sad, painful duty imposed on thee, when the divine Child being eight days old, thou wert obliged to inflict a deep wound on His tender body, and thus be the first to make flow that sacred blood which was to wash away the sins of the world.

I ask it by the sweetness and power of that sacred name, Jesus, thou didst confer on the adorable Infant.

I ask it by that mortal anguish inflicted on thee by the prophecy of holy Simeon, which declared the Child Jesus and His holy Mother, the future victims of Their love and our sins.

I ask it through that sorrow and anguish which filled thy soul when the angel declared to thee that the life of the Child Jesus was sought by His enemies, from whose impious designs thou wert obliged to fly with Him and His Blessed Mother into Egypt.

I ask it by all the pains, fatigues and toils of that long and perilous pilgrimage.

I ask it by all the sorrows thou didst endure, when in Egypt thou wert not able even by the sweat of thy brow, to procure poor food and clothing for thy most poor family.

I ask it by all the grief thou didst feel each time the divine Child asked for a morsel of bread, and thou hast it not to give Him.

I ask it by all the solicitude to preserve the sacred Child and the Immaculate Mary during thy second journey when thou wert ordered to return to thy native country.

I ask it by thy peaceful dwelling in Nazareth, in which so many joys and sorrows were mingled.

I ask it by thy extreme affliction, in being three days deprived of the company of the adorable Child.

I ask it by the joy in finding Him in the temple and by the ineffable consolation imparted to thee in the cottage of Nazareth, with the society of the little Jesus.

I ask it by that wonderful condescension by which He subjected Himself to thy will.

I ask it through that dolorous view, continually in thy mind, of all thy Jesus was to suffer.

I ask it by that painful contemplation, which made thee foresee the divine little hands and feet, now so active in serving thee, one day to be pierced with cruel nails; that head, which rested gently on thy bosom, crowned with sharp thorns; that delicate body, which thou didst tenderly fold in thy mantle and press to thy heart, stripped and extended on a cross.

I ask it by that heroic sacrifice of thy will and best affections, by which thou didst offer up to the Eternal Father the last awful moment, when the Man-God was to expire for our salvation.

I ask it by that perfect love and conformity with which thou didst receive the divine order to depart from this life, and from the company of Jesus and Mary.

I ask it by that exceeding great joy which filled thy soul when the Redeemer of the world, triumphant over death and hell, entered into the possession of His Kingdom, and conducted thee also into it with especial honors.

I ask it through Mary's glorious Assumption and through that interminable bliss, which with her, thou wilt eternally derive from the presence of God. O, good Father, I beseech thee, by all thy sufferings, sorrows and joys, to hear me, and to obtain the grant of my earnest petitions
Here name your petitions or reflect on them
Obtain for all those who have asked thy prayers all that is useful to them in the designs of God. And finally, my dear protector, be thou with me and all who are dear to me, in our last moments, that we may eternally chant the praises of

Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Amen

Ave Maria....

O guardian of the Word Incarnate, we feel animated with confidence that thy prayers in our behalf will be graciously heard before the throne of God.

[Then the following V. and R. are to be said seven times, in honor of the seven joys or sorrows of St. Joseph.]

V. O glorious St. Joseph, through the love thou dost bear to Jesus Christ, and for the glory of His name,

R. Hear our prayers and obtain our petitions.

Prayer

O Glorious St. Joseph, spouse of the immaculate Virgin, obtain for me a pure, humble, and charitable mind, and perfect resignation to the divine will. Be my guide, father, and model through life, that I may merit to die as thou didst in the arms of Jesus and Mary.

St. Joseph, friend of the Sacred Heart, pray for us.
(Indulgence of 5 years on any day.)
The Seven Joys and Sorrows of St. Joseph

1. The sorrow St. Joseph had when he was minded to put away his stainless spouse. The joy he had when the archangel revealed the sublime mystery of the Incarnation.

2. The sorrow St. Joseph had in seeing the infant Jesus born in abject poverty. The joy he had in hearing the harmony of angel choirs, and beholding the glory of that night.

3. The sorrow St. Joseph had when the Precious Blood of the infant Savior was shed at His circumcision. The joy given with the Name of Jesus.

4. The sorrow St. Joseph had at the prophecy of Simeon foretelling the sufferings of Jesus and Mary. The joy given, at the same time, of the prediction of salvation and glorious resurrection of innumerable souls.

5. The sorrow St. Joseph had in his toil to nurture and to serve the Son of the Most High, especially in the flight he made with Him into Egypt. The joy he had in having God Himself always with him, and to see the overthrow of the idols of Egypt.

6. The sorrow St. Joseph had by the fear of Archelaus. The joy he had in returning with Jesus from Egypt to Nazareth, and the reassurance of the angel.

7. The sorrow St. Joseph had when through no fault of his, he lost Jesus, the holy Child, and searched for Him in great anguish for three days. The joy he had when finding Him amidst the doctors in the Temple.

"In October I will perform a miracle so that everyone can believe in the apparitions.... St. Joseph will come with the Holy Child to bring peace to the world." This was Our Lady's prediction of the miracle of Fatima, 1917.

The great holy reformer Saint Teresa of Avila had a tremendous devotion to Saint Joseph as we see from "The Autobiography of St. Teresa", chapter 6

"I took for my advocate and lord the glorious Saint Joseph and commended myself earnestly to him; and I found that this my father and lord delivered me both from this trouble and also from other and greater troubles concerning my honor and the loss of my soul, and that he gave me greater blessings than I could ask of him. I do not remember even now that I have ever asked anything of him which he has failed to grant. I am astonished at the great favors which God has bestowed on me through this blessed saint, and at the perils from which He has freed me, both in body and in soul. To other saints the Lord seems to have given grace to succor us in some of our necessities but of this glorious saint my experience is that he succors us in them all and that the Lord wishes to teach us that as He was Himself subject to him on earth (for, being His guardian and being called His father, he could command Him) just so in Heaven He still does all that he asks. This has also been the experience of other persons whom I have advised to commend themselves to him; and even to-day there are many who have great devotion to him through having newly experienced this truth."

*******

"I wish I could persuade everyone to be devoted to this glorious saint, for I have great experience of the blessings which he can obtain from God. I have never known anyone to be truly devoted to him and render him particular services who did not notably advance in virtue, for he gives very real help to souls who commend themselves to him. For some years now, I think, I have made some request of him every year on his festival and I have always had it granted. If my petition is in any way ill directed, he directs it aright for my greater good."

*******

"I only beg, for the love of God, that anyone who does not believe me will put what I say to the test, and he will see by experience what great advantages come from his commending himself to this glorious patriarch and having devotion to him. Those who practice prayer should have a special affection for him always. I do not know how anyone can think of the Queen of the Angels, during the time that she suffered so much with the Child Jesus, without giving thanks to Saint Joseph for the way he helped them. If anyone cannot find a master to teach him how to pray, let him take this glorious saint as his master and he will not go astray."

Made especially for you byGrandma dresses - good thing it took her 2 years to finish, gave them time to grow into them!

St. Martin of Tours

2009-11-11T10:57:00.000-05:00

So, today - the memoral of St. Martin of Tours.
We are coloring Waltzing Matilda's coloring page -
http://tiredtwang.blogspot.com/2008/11/st-martin-of-tours-coloring-page.html

I think we will make some St. Martin's Horseshoes from Catholic Culture -
http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/recipes/view.cfm?id=1167

More info I am using here:
http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm

Noon mass at IC, followed by a visit to my friend Amanda.

Science?

History?

What about dinner?

Think, think, think!

Pope St. Leo the Great

2009-11-10T10:25:00.000-05:00

Deavon's nameday today -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=la1Ean-eofk
we will be making a Lion Cake, and studying the painting of Pope St. Leo the Great & Attila the Hun.

Today is a school day -
I did finish the bulk of my major housekeeping yesterday - Monday is my big put the house back together after the weekend day.
I am struggling with how to balance my time.
Do I plan outside activities, do I stick close to home?
Both?
Am I capable of being balanced?
I certainly struggle.

Some stuff to do this week:

2009-11-09T07:13:00.000-05:00

Wow! My house is a wreck!
I have a ton of things to accomplish today.

Laundry

Kitchen,
Livingroom
Move diningroom table
carry up my mother's stuff
call Salvation Army for pick up

Make 2 slings

what else????????????

School of course.

November Liturgical/Lesson Planning

2009-11-01T21:39:00.001-05:00

November Devotion - The Holy Souls

I want to take the children to Mass & the cemetary on the way home tomorrow to do this devotion.

Toties Quoties Indulgence

From noon today on All Saints Day through midnight of All Souls Day tomorrow the Catholic faithful, as often as they visit a church or Catholic cemetery to pray for the dead, reciting six times during each visit the Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be for the intentions of Holy Mother Church may gain a plenary indulgence applicable only to the souls in Purgatory, under the usual conditions of making a good Confession within a week before or after, worthily receiving Holy Communion within the week and having the right intention of heart. This is called the Toties Quoties Indulgence.
(from dailycatholic.org)

or this one (from catholicculture.org)

Indulgences for All Souls Week

An indulgence, applicable only to the Souls in Purgatory, is granted to the faithful, who devoutly visit a cemetery and pray, even if only mentally, for the departed. The indulgence is plenary each day from the first to the eighth of November; on other days of the year it is partial.
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A plenary indulgence, applicable only to the Souls in Purgatory, is granted to the faithful, who on the day dedicated to the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed [November 2 {as well as on the Sunday preceding or following, and on All Saints' Day}] piously visit a church. In visiting the church it is required that one Our Father and the Creed be recited.
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To acquire a plenary indulgence it is necessary also to fulfill the following three conditions: sacramental Confession, Eucharistic communion, and prayer for the intention of the Holy Father. The three conditions may be fulfilled several days before or after the performance of the visit; it is, however, fitting that communion be received and the prayer for the intention of the Holy Father be said on the same day as the visit.
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The condition of praying for the intention of the Holy Father is fully satisfied by reciting one Our Father and one Hail Mary. A plenary indulgence can be acquired only once in the course of the day.

The children will like doing this.
I am looking forward to having St.Patrick's up here close to our home, we will be able to more easily (and economically) attend daily mass.

Religion in the Home for November:
http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/activities/view.cfm?id=1180
http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/activities/view.cfm?id=1181

Week One:
Catholic Mosaic - I Sing a Song of the Saints of God, Lesbia Scott   (p183)

Nov. 2nd - All Souls
Make our traditional poster from ""A Year With God" (p222)
     Naming all our deceased friends & relatives of the past year, and more.

     Catholic Mosaic "The Spirit of Tio Fernando: A Day of the Dead Story", by Janice Levy (p185)

     In "A Year with God" on pg 224 there is a neat activity for the Solemnity of Christ the King called Communion of Saints Project: Family Tree of the Church. I would like to get to do this sometime during the month.

    Daniel Boone born today - 1734
        http://www.earlyamerica.com/     primary source material from early am history.

Nov. 3rd      St. Martin de Porres
     Catholic Mosaic "Brother Joseph, Painter of Icons", by Augustine Denoble (p189)
      Read - St. Martin de Porres, Lovasik &/or Check "Saints & Feast Days",
                  "The Pied Piper of Peru"

Nov. 4th     St. Charles Borromeo
       "Saints & Feast Days", Book of Saints, Check "Cooking with the Saints" for recipe

Nov. 10th    Pope St. Leo the Great
       Study painting of Pope Leo & Attila,
       Lion cake

Nov. 11th St. Martin of Tours   & Veterans Day
       http://www.wf-f.org/StMartinTours.html
        Veterans Day books:
         Veterans Day Lapbook -

Nov. 12th St. Josaphat
      3rd grade Seton English FYC (I loved this book!)

Nov. 13th      St. Frances Xavier Cabrini
      Coloring page from Waltzing Matilda, pg 246 in AYWG
         "Mother Cabrini, Missionary to the World" Vision
           also St. Stanislas Kostka, p247 AYWG

Nov. 16th     St. Margaret of Scotland
        http://www.holyspiritinteractive.net/kids/saints/1116.asp - biography

Nov. 17th     St. Elizabeth of Hungary
       Coloring page p248 AYWG, and Waltzing Matilda
         "St. Elizabeth's Three Crowns" Vision
       Review spiritual/corporal works of mercy
          Bake bread and deliver to friends.

Nov. 22nd St. Cecilia
       p249 AYWG, "Heroes of God's Church"

Nov. 21st     Presentation of Mary
       "Mondays with Mary" pgs. 38-41
        and this - http://www.wf-f.org/BVMPresentation.html

Nov. 22nd     Christ the King
         http://www.domestic-church.com/CONTENT.DCC/20010101/FRIDGE/christ_king.htm


Nov. 23rd   Blessed Miguel Pro, St. Clement of Rome
                   St. Clement Coloring page from "Father of the Church" coloring book.

Nov. 27th     Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal
     Unit Study, Widneatt Coloring book, "St. Catherine Laboure and the Miraculous Medal" vision book
      "Mondays with Mary" pgs 46-49

Nov. 30th     St. Andrew
       Check "Cooking with the Saints"

Other:        http://www.theteacherscorner.net/calendars/november.php
             Love this website for little fun things to tell the children.

When I am working out my liturgical/lesson plans for the month, I pull out all of my resources and list what feasts, holidays and such in the coming month. I list everything - print the resources I think I will use and file in them all in a 3 ring binder called CURRENT MONTH.
With my parents moving in, I have the advantage to have most of my books right here in my master bedroom.
:0)
Tomorrow, I will pull out all the things in my 365 files - November section. I will go through and see what needs to be tossed, what I want to use, what to file away for another year - and just what I have. At the end of each month, I just file the resources for the finished month without really going through it too much. I toss obvious trash, but don't worry about it until next go round.

Common Place books

2009-10-26T13:38:00.000-04:00

Commonplace Books

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Below you will find answers to some basic questions about commonplace books. As you read through the information, notice that the page is set up very much like a page in a commonplace book. Although I've entered a few comments of my own, this is essentially a collection of quotations about commonplacing.

A page from George Eliot's Commonplace Book

Courtesy of Yale's Beineke Rare Book Library of Digital Images

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What is a "Commonplace"?

Here is one explanation:

"Commonplaces are small nuggets of language that carry a lot of weight for a particular group or in society at large, at a given time. They can be slogans, bumper stickers, catch-phrases, or simply pieces of language that we use all of the time, but which are more complicated than we realize, perhaps because they are so very common. Because they can be evoked in the same way as a slogan or an idea, objects such as 'the flag,' and documents such as 'The Constitution' (especially 'The First Amendment' and 'The Second Amendment') also function as commonplaces in rhetoric."--"Commonplaces: An Introduction," Professor John Hilgart, English Department, Rhodes College, and Professor Van E. Hillard, First-Year Writing Program, Duke University

In a sense, "commonplaces" are words used to identify or explain key ideas.

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What is "Commonplacing" and what is a Commonplace Book?

Commonplacing is the act of selecting important phrases, lines, and/or passages from texts and writing them down; the commonplace book is the notebook in which a reader has collected quotations from works s/he has read. Commonplace books can also include comments and notes from the reader; they are frequently indexed so that the reader can classify important themes and locate quotations related to particular topics or authors.

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"Commonplacing is the practice of entering literary excerpts and personal comments into a private journal, that is, into a commonplace book or, to use a 17th century synonym, a silva rerum ("a forest of things"). Typically the excerpts were regarded as exceptionally insightful or beautiful or as applicable to a variety of situations, and so as such they are often especially quotable. . . . The practice of commonplacing can be traced back in the European tradition to the 5th century B.C.E. and the Sophist, Protagoras.

Historically commonplacing has played an important role in education, and it has served as a vital tool of erudition.

"Boys ... had to keep notebooks or commonplace books in which to record, and then learn, idioms, quotations, or figures useful in composition or declamation. Not a little of that wide learning and impressive range of quotation adorning Elizabethan literature comes from these commonplace books." Schools in Tudor England, by Craig R. Thompson (Washington: Folger Shakespeare Library, 1958): p. 16, cf. 44.

"Students with literary tastes, in days when books were hard to come by, kept 'commonplace' or notebooks into which they copied out verses or prose extracts that particularly appealed to them." The Intellectual Life of Colonial New England, by Samuel Eliot Morison (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1965; reprint of the 2nd ed., 1956): p. 49.

--Norman Elliott Anderson, Commonplacing in the Spiritual Traditions

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"Commonplacing--The commonplace book began blank. The reader used it to collect premises, arguments and other quotes from the various books read. The common place book was always at hand for the next addition or as a conversational prompt. It might well fill up with contradictory snipets." Book and e-book: The Future of the Book

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Commonplace book (n.): an edited collection of striking passages noted in a single place for future reference.

There was a time when commonplace books were a popular way for civilized men and women to record striking passages they found in their reading. Who can forget the electrifying effect that some thoughts have on us when we encounter them for the first time? The commonplace book is a way of memorializing those striking passages so that one can return to them for renewed inspiration.--What is a Commonplace Book? at the Internet Book Center (Click on the link to see a very informal version of a modern online commonplace book.)

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"Time was when readers kept commonplace books. Whenever they came across a pithy passage, they copied it into a notebook under an appropriate heading, adding observations made in the course of daily life. Erasmus instructed them how to do it . . .The practice spread everywhere in early modern England, among ordinary readers as well as famous writers like Francis Bacon, Ben Jonson, John Milton, and John Locke. It involved a special way of taking in the printed word. Unlike modern readers, who follow the flow of a narrative from beginning to end, early modern Englishmen read in fits and starts and jumped from book to book. They broke texts into fragments and assembled them into new patterns by transcribing them in different sections of their notebooks. Then they reread the copies and rearranged the patterns while adding more excerpts. Reading and writing were therefore inseparable activities. They belonged to a continuous effort to make sense of things, for the world was full of signs: you could read your way through it; and by keeping an account of your readings, you made a book of your own, one stamped with your personality. . . . The era of the commonplace book reached its peak in the late Renaissance, although commonplacing as a practice probably began in the twelfth century and remained widespread among the Victorians. It disappeared long before the advent of the sound bite." -- Robert Darnton, "Extraordinary Commonplaces," The New York Review of Books, December 21, 2000

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"An early practitioner of reflective journaling was Thomas Jefferson. He would synopsize and capture the key points of his readings and add his own reflections, recording them in a journal which he called his 'commonplace book.' One of his biographers quoted Jefferson as saying 'I was in the habit of abridging and commonplacing what I read meriting it, and of sometimes mixing my own reflections on the subject' (Cunningham, 1987, p. 9). His tutor, James Maury, commended the practice as a means 'to reflect, and remark on, and digest what you read' (Wilson, 1989, p. 7)."-Herman W. Hughes, Dialogic Reflection: A New Face on an Old Pedagogy

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What did commonplace books look like in the days when they were popular (from the middle ages through the nineteenth century)?

Christ the King Sunday

2009-10-25T11:13:00.000-04:00

Instituted at the end of the Holy Year Of Jubilee by His Holiness Pius XI

"Moreover, the annual and universal celebration of the Feast of the Kingship of Christ will draw attention to the evils which anti-clericalism has brought upon society, in drawing men away from Christ, and will also do much to remedy them. While nations insult the beloved name of our Redeemer by suppressing all mention of it in their conferences and parliaments, we must all the more loudly proclaim His kingly dignity and power, all the more universally affirm His rights... This Feast sets the crowning glory upon the mysteries of the life of Christ already commemorated during the year; thus too, before celebrating the triumph of all the Saints, we proclaim and extol the glory of Him who triumphs in all the Saints...

"He must reign in our minds, which should assent with perfect submission and firm belief to revealed truths and to the doctrines of Christ. He must reign in our wills, which should obey the laws and precepts of God. He must reign in our hearts, which should spurn natural desires and love God above all things, and cleave to Him alone..."

Consecration of the Human Race to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Most sweet Jesus, Redeemer of the human race, look down upon us humbly prostrate before Thine altar. We are Thine, and Thine we wish to be; but, to be more surely united with Thee, behold each one of us freely consecrates himself today to Thy most Sacred Heart.

Many indeed have never known Thee; many too, despising Thy precepts, have rejected Thee. Have mercy on them all, most merciful Jesus, and draw them to Thy sacred Heart. Be Thou King, O Lord, not only of the faithful who have never forsaken Thee, but also of the prodigal children who have abandoned Thee; grant that they may quickly return to Thy Father's house lest they die of wretchedness and hunger.

Be Thou King of those who are deceived by erroneous opinions, or whom discord keeps aloof, and call them back to the harbor of truth and unity of faith, so that there may be but one flock and one Shepherd.

Be Thou King of all those who are still involved in the darkness of idolatry or of Islamism, and refuse not to draw them into the light and kingdom of God. Turn Thine eyes of mercy towards the children of the race, once Thy chosen people: of old they called down upon themselves the Blood of the Savior; may it now descend upon them a laver of redemption and of life.

Grant, O Lord, to Thy Church assurance of freedom and immunity from harm; give peace and order to all nations, and make the earth resound from pole to pole with one cry: "Praise be to the divine Heart that wrought our salvation; to it be glory and honor for ever." Amen.

Mary Grace

Back again

2009-10-05T19:06:00.002-04:00

I had to take my computer into the shop a couple months ago to have it wiped clean and windows reinstalled.
Needless to say, I lost all my remembered passwords and so on, so couldn't log onto my blog!
It has happened before - tonight, I found the index card I wrote my information on.
I am getting smarter as I get older! I actually write these things down these days.

So, we are off to a new school year. And, it is going quite well I must say.
G2 is in K
M is in 2
E is in 4
D is in 10th
G1 is in 12th

Simply amazing.

Memorial of St. Joseph the Worker

2009-05-01T07:50:00.003-04:00

St. Louis de Montfort“Fourth, true devotion to our Lady is constant. It strengthens us in our desire to do good and prevents us from giving up our devotional practices too easily. It gives us the courage to oppose the fashions and maxims of the world, the vexations and unruly inclinations of the flesh and the temptations of the devil.”True Devotion to Mary, #109

Quote

2009-04-30T07:32:00.001-04:00

"Courage does not always roar. Sometimes it is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, I will try again tomorrow."Maryanne Radmacher

St. Catherine of Sienna - Faith

2009-04-29T10:48:00.002-04:00

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful: and kindle in them the fire of Thy love.

We are reading St. Catherine of Siena; The Story of the Girl who saw Saints in the Sky
by Mary Fabyan Windeatt

Coloring a picture provided by Waltzing Matilda (http://tiredtwang.blogspot.com/search/label/Coloring%20Pages)

Booklist - Self Sufficiency

2009-04-28T20:26:00.000-04:00

from another lady's blog -

Magazines
Mother Earth News

General Knowledge for Self-Sufficient Living
The Encyclopedia of Country Living
Country Wisdom & Know-How
Dare to Prepare
A Slice of Organic Life
Mini Farming for Self-Sufficiency
Just in Case: How to Be Self-Sufficient When the Unexpected Happens
Depletion and Abundance - Life on the New Home Front

Gardening
Square Foot Gardening
The Compost Gardening Guide
Worms Eat My Garbage
The Backyard Berry Book
Backyard Market Gardening
Four Season Harvest
Seed to Seed
How to Store Your Garden Produce
Herbal and Natural Healing
Gaia’s Garden
Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine
Common Herbs for Natural Health
The Whole Herb

Recipes - cooking what you grow and store
Pantry Cooking
Food Storage 101

Livestock
Backyard Livestock
Storey’s Guide to Raising Rabbits
Chicken Tractor
Keeping Chickens

Soap Making
Smart Soap Making
Everything Soap Making

Solar
Cooking with Sunshine

Simplicity
A Small Farm
Better Off - Flipping the Switch on Technology
Radical Simplicity

Inspiration
Your Money or Your Life
Getting a Life

Quote

2009-04-28T09:28:00.000-04:00

"While it is obvious that an ignorant man can be virtuous, it is equally obvious that ignorance is not a virtue." -
Frank Sheed

"Freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the freedom to do what we ought."
JP II

St. Catherine Laboure - Humility

2009-04-26T16:11:00.002-04:00