A Beautiful Surprise

Imagine my surprise to come home to this after a long day of catechesis training.

I tell you - I am one blessed woman!

Pennies For Life

A few years ago a good home schooling friend started collecting Pennies For Life. She would bring the donation jar to our faculty meetings and ask for families to bring some change to donate to our local Pro-Life center. She is now "graduated" from the group and yours truly has taken over the Pennies For Life Campaign. I've just finished counting last years donations $40 - not bad for spare change. I am going to send a check to the Pro-Life center from our home school group. This money is used to help provide for women in crisis pregnancies so that they will not be afraid to CHOOSE LIFE! I am hopeful that this donation amount will continue to grow and that one day in the not too distant future abortion will be a thing of the past!

I also took advantage of this opportunity to have a little math lesson with Buck and Honeybee.
They helped me sort the change.
We also had the first of many talks about the value of money. Buck didn't quite get it - When asked if he'd rather have 100 pennies or a dollar bill he quickly said

"100 pennies!"

A Job Well Worth Doing

I am so thankful to say, "We're Done!" It was a BIG project but, well worth the time and energy it took to accomplish. I have a new found sense of motivation for the upcoming school year.

I finally have all of my little ducklings in a row. From left to right we have...

The House Cat's desk/workstation. The bookcase got a complete overhaul and is now being used by us big girls - a shelf for each. It's also storing some art supplies above and on the top shelf underneath. Snuggle Bug's pad is next. Continuing to the left, Buck now has his own desk space. Last but not least Honeybee has a make-shift space made out of an old TV stand. I still need to get her a small desk lamp and chair but, she's just happy to have her own space.

A peek into the bottom of the file cabinet shows stacking plastic trays for paper storage.

(Can you tell I watch HGTV;)
On the bottom shelf I kept out books I may want to reference for looking ahead.

Otherwise, my sweet husband helped me box up LOTS and LOTS of books. Once again he kept me on track by asking, "Are you using it THIS year? I have a tendency for overkill :/

I went through every piece of paper and every crayon in the house. It was very overwhelming at times but thanks to all of my helpers we made it through!

My file crate system is coming together - I hope to post on that soon.

Now comes the schedule making task. I'm determined to put something down on paper and do my best to stick to it. Wildflowers and Marbles has an inspiring post on this. I need to print it out, sit down with pencil and paper and make a plan that works for us.

Ready to help me honey? :)

One down - LOTS to go....

Last night we started a MAJOR re-vamp of our downstairs den/school room/workout area. My sweet husband came home from work and moved every piece of furniture/electronic down here to a new location. This really needed to be done. Some of these book cases hadn't been moved in years.... ugh...need I say more? Today we are beginning the process of going through all of the books and re-organizing them. Snuggle Bug was up and at'em this morning and finished the first bookcase with the classical literature on it. Buck served as a good "bookend" and she gathered the books.

Now, if each one of their desks could look this neat!

Hopefully I'll have some great "after" pictures to share soon! I am inspired by so many other bloggers who have beautifully organized spaces. Jennifer, Dawn, Jessica, Evann, and Donna to name a few. Thank you ladies for sharing and God Bless you all !

Feast of Saint Benedict

Today we as we honor St. Benedict I am reminded of the St. Benedict Medals hanging in the four corners of our home. A dear friend of ours shared this devotion with us years ago.

Our home has been blessed, more than once, by dear priests.

We need our homes to be places of peace and prayer - Domestic Churches.

Evann over at Homeschool Goodies shares this awesome prayer with us.

Prayer To St. Benedict

O glorious St. Benedict, sublime model of all virtues, pure vessel of God’s grace! Behold me, humbly kneeling at thy feet. I implore thy loving heart to pray for me before the throne of God. To thee I have recourse in all the dangers which daily surround me. Shield me against my enemies, inspire me to imitate thee in all things. May thy blessing be with me always, so that I may shun whatever God forbids and avoid the occasions of sin.

Graciously obtain for me from God those favors and graces of which I stand so much in need, in the trials, miseries and afflictions of life. Thy heart was always so full of love, compassion, and mercy towards those who were afflicted or troubled in any way. Thou didst never dismiss without consolation and assistance any one who had re-course to thee. I therefore invoke thy powerful intercession, in the confident hope that thou wilt hear my prayers and obtain for me the special grace and favor I so earnestly implore (mention it), if it be for the greater glory of God and the welfare of my soul.

Help me, O great St. Benedict, to live and die as a faithful child of God, to be ever submissive to His holy will, and to attain the eternal happiness of heaven. Amen.

Saint Benedict ~ Pray For Us!

Drawing With Children...Before and After

A while back I requested a copy of Drawing With Children from the library. I think it is so cool the way you can request the books online and have them notify you when they are in . Anyway, The House Cat "disappeared" with this book once we got it. The first drawing below is from a year or so ago - with no guidance. The second drawing came after following tips from this book.

There's a pretty big difference don't you think?

Baaaaa Fun

Today we made these cute little sheep. I came across these the other day and decided today would be a good day to make them since Buck and Honeybee both have congested coughs. I'm hoping this isn't going through the house but, I'm not feeling to assured since dad had it about a week or so ago. So... instead of going outside to play in the water we made these adorable sheep and sang. Snuggle Bug started us off with Lamb of God and we continued with The Lord is My Shepherd, I'll walk with Him always (from the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd).

Hope you are all having a blessed day!

A Blessed Woman's Daybook July 6

Outside my window... Things are sooo much clearer. I was so blessed to be able to clean my windows this weekend! I know that sounds odd, but you really appreciate good health when you've gone without it.



I'm thankful for.... The phone call I received this morning with the wonderful news! Thank you God for all of your blessings!


I'm hearing.... My children talking, singing songs from The Prince of Egypt, and enjoying each others company.



I'm looking forward to... Honeybee's Godparents coming over for supper tonight. We will finally celebrate her Baptism Anniversary - about a month late. Better late than never :) She's excited!


Around the house... Curtains are down for washing, blinds are dusted, dryer is running, big girls are working on cleaning out their desks, Honeybee's making a mess :) and Buck is playing with cars and pretending to be a Jedi in training.


I'm excited about... The upcoming "school" year. We don't really break the year up into school time and non-school time. I believe everything we do should be educational - working towards heaven. My goal is to surround our children with everything that is beautiful. Can't wait for payday to order some more school books.


I'm so looking forward to our PSR (Parish School of Religion) starting back in August. I have been so blessed by the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and can't wait to get back in the Atrium and co-listen to God with the children.




I'm praying for..... My cousin Danny who is battling cancer. Dear Lord, please heal him if it is Your Holy Will.


Also for all of our priest (Parish priest and Father Mark in particular)



I'm working on.... My new planner and creating my own file crate system.


I'm listening to .... Natalie Grant's CD Awaken.



I truly believe... We must be so careful with the music we listen to and the movies/TV shows we watch! May it ALL bring glory to God! (For the record....I don't always succeed in this but, I keep trying!)

My picture thought:

A Fun-Filled Fourth of July!

Visit Peggy for more daybook entries.

God Bless the U.S.A.

The Star Spangled Banner

Oh, say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,

What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming?

Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' the perilous fight,

O'er the ramparts we watch'd, were so gallantly streaming?

And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,

Gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still there.

O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

Composed by Francis Scott Key, "In Defense of Fort McHenry" in September 1814. Congress proclaimed it the U.S. National Anthem in 1931.

A must read article "What's right with America"

A Blessed Woman's Daybook - June 29, 2009

Outside my window....

Well it's hard to tell, I really need to wash the downstairs windows! Another practice in patience! All in God's time.

To Live the Liturgical Year...

Today we celebrate The Feast of Saints Peter and Paul.

Catholic Culture states

"A moving custom is practiced in rural sections of the Alpine countries. On June 29, when the church bells ring the "Angelus" early in the morning, people step under the trees in their gardens, kneel down and say the traditional prayer the "Angel of the Lord." Having finished the prayer they bow deeply and make the sign of the cross, believing that on Saint Peter's Day the blessing of the Holy Father in Rome is carried by angels throughout the world to all who sincerely await it. "

I Am Thankful For...

My family and the gift of homeschooling. I'm so thankful I said yes to God's call!

One Of My Favorite Things...

Playing cards with my kids. Buck and Honeybee are loving Battle and Go Fish. The House Cat and Snuggle Bug are enjoying Hand and Foot and Rummy

I Am Creating...

My computer savvy husband helped me create a spreadsheet to organize my research for next years school books. It's been sooooo helpful. Thanks honey. I have a spreadsheet for each of the older girls. I have columns for Subject, Title, Curriculum, Price, Comments, Amazon/with shipping, Cath Swap. Looks like I'll be using a mix of CHC, Seton, Saxon, Emmanuel (MODG).

Can't wait to get the books ordered. Each of the girls sat with me and helped me to choose their curriculum. It was our first time to do it this way. It just reminded me of how they are getting older too quick!

My Picture Thought...

Buck playing cards with a good friend.

GO FISH!

Friday Fun - Celebrating Our Godson's Birthday!

Today we were blessed to spend time with one of our godson's. It was so good seeing him and his family and celebrating his 3rd Birthday with them.

We all had fun making these easy "fish plates."
May we always strive to be "Fishers of Men!"

So Thankful For....

The gift of such a wonderful husband and father to our children.

Friday Fun - Homemade Play Dough

To make homemade play dough you'll need:

1 cup flour

1/2 c. salt

2 tsp. cream of tartar

1 cup water

1 Tbsp. oil

food coloring

(I normally double the recipe)

Mix all of the ingredients (except food coloring) together in a non stick pot.

Stir over med/low heat until the mixture forms a ball in the pot.

Mold dough with hands and cut into sections. You can double or triple the recipe to make lots of different colors. Add food coloring. Tip: Use disposable plastic gloves to work the color in. The homemade play dough is so much easier to work with than store bought!

Honeybee had fun making shapes.

Buck made sharks and ships

SnuggleBug made a lady on a path.

The House Cat crafted this pretty flower.

And of course we made an image of The Sacred Heart, since today is The Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. I forgot to replenish the red food coloring after Buck's birthday cake. I don't think our Lord minds that it is green :)

Sacred Heart of Jesus, Have Mercy On Us.

A Rose of A Grandmother

It's hard to know where to start with this post. So much has been happening - I'm still trying to digest it all. My May was spent recovering from surgery hoping to be up for our trip to Myrtle Beach to see our niece graduate from high school. She is such a miracle child - A brain cancer survivor! We had a great time staying on the beach and seeing family who we rarely see.

The hard part of it all was that God decided to take my sweet grandmother to her eternal reward while I was so far away. I'm so happy for her. She was such a special lady - full of love of God and family. I loved visiting her in the summer and helping out on the farm. It was so different from my day to day routine. Even though I was one of 25 grandchildren she made me feel like I was the only one. I'm sure each of her grandchildren would say the same for themselves. She loved to tell me about Jesus and how she lived for Him. At night she would write in her diary and then read from the Bible to me. She wasn't Catholic, I doubt she ever knew anyone who was, but she was one of the most Christian people I've ever known. I have vivid memories of her reading the 23rd Psalm to me. It always spoke to me in ways I couldn't understand. Now with my training in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd I see why. I only wish I could put the emotions in my heart to words.

Her eight children all came together for the visitation. Only God knew that He would also call one of them home that same night. My mom took her brother back to his hotel after the gathering. He hadn't been feeling well and had told his wife that he just wanted to go and be with his mama. God heard this request and took him too. It was his 68th birthday.

They had a double funeral the next day. I can only imagine how difficult this was for the siblings. The hardest part of it for me was being so far away from my mama. I'm her only child and so wanted to be there to comfort her. However, I know God has His reasons and that's that.

Now a special cousin of mine has been diagnosed with a fast moving cancer and given a couple of months to live. Please keep him and his family in your prayers. He is the son of my aunt who lived with my grandmother. May this prayer remain on my lips "Jesus, I Trust In You!"

My sweet mama brought this rose home to me from my grandmother's casket. It is a perfect image of her - soft, sweet smelling, feminine, BEAUTIFUL CREATION OF GOD!

I'm in the mood for Pickin' and Eatin'

PickYourOwn.org is a great site for those of you wondering which fresh fruits and veggies are locally grown for hand picking. They also have lots of tips on canning, storing, picking, etc.

What to look for and when:
March - April: Asparagus
May-June: strawberries
June- July: cherries
June-August: blueberries, blackberries
July-September: peaches, figs, tomatoes, green beans
July-October: raspberries
August - Figs, Fall raspberries start, early apples
September-October: apples and grapes
October: late apples, Pumpkins
December: Christmas trees

I'm on the lookout for a strawberry field to take the kids to. We are trying to shake the beach blues and I think this would be the perfect sweet idea. If any of you know of a good one nearby let me know. (North Central AL) Have a blessed weekend :)

Wondering where we've been?

Honeybee age 4

Ideas for Celebrating Pentecost

Make a centerpiece. Cut out seven candles with flames on construction paper and label them with the names of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Attach to a strip or two of construction paper formed into a circle and stapled.

Wear Red

Fly a kite

Make a birthday cake and sing Happy Birthday to the Church.

Make Pinwheels and blow on them remembering God's breath of the Holy Spirit upon the Church.

Make a cenacle and re-enact the coming of The Holy Spirit

Print white doves, cut and glue them to card stock, and label each one with one gift of The Holy Spirit. Then cut those out, number them 1-12, hole punch and hang them by red ribbons. We hung ours from our banister railing. After Mass have each member of the family choose a number. Find the dove that matches your number and the gift written on it is the one the Holy Spirit (working through the gift written on it) wishes him to work on for the year. (Catholic Culture.)

Copywork for older children:

Come, my children in the world, come and be my witnesses: I need every mouth that still prays, I need every hand that still traces the sign of the holy Cross! For the day is heavy with storms of temptation— There are many along the road who no more find the way home: You must be light to light their way .... —Gertrud von LeFort.

(Gertrud von LeFort was a German writer of novels, poems, and essays. She came from a Protestant background, but converted to Catholicism in 1926. Most of Gertrud's writings come after this conversion.)

Gifts of the Holy Spirit enable us to live a holy Christian life.

The Gifts of the Holy Spirit are:

Wisdom - desire for the things of God, and to direct our whole life and all our actions to His honor and glory

Understanding - enable us to know more clearly the mysteries of faith

Counsel - warn us of the deceits of the devil, and of the dangers to salvation

Fortitude - strengthen us to do the will of God in all things

Knowledge - enable us to discover the will of God in all things

Piety - love God as a Father, and obey Him because we love Him

Fear of the Lord - have a dread of sin and fear of offending God

The 12 Fruits of the Holy Spirit grow in our souls with our practice of Virtue as enabled by the Gifts of the Holy Spirit:

Charity

Joy

Peace

Patience

Benignity - the quality of being kind and gentle

Goodness

Long-suffering (patient suffering over an extended period)

Mildness

Faith

Modesty

Continency (Purity)

Chastity