Love Reading This

This has got to be one of the best things I've ever bought for myself!

Some dear friends of mine were reading these conversations and sharing how wonderful they were.  I finally was able to get the volume for Easter and have been loving reading it!  I can't wait to have the whole set! 

Math with Mom

As many of you may know, I don't use a "math program" with my little ones.

There's plenty of opportunity to learn the basic skills in everyday life.

Example 1

 I ask Buck, "If I owe you $3 and hand you $5, how much change would you owe me?"  5-3=2

Example 2

Honeybee wins Mr. Monopoly's loose change.

There are two $2 bills.

"What's 2+2?" asks Mom.

"4!" shouts Honeybee.

As you can see, the possiblities are endless.

Learning can be soooo much fun!

The Miracle of Fatima

Once the 1st part is finished you will have the option to click on pt.2 and so on.

Happy Birthday Honeybee!

I can't believe our baby is 6 years old already!!!

You are so precious and so full of love.

We are so thankful for the gift of you!

We love you,

Mom, Dad, House Cat, Snuggle Bug, and Buck

The Good Shepherd's Garden ~ Week One

Easter Week One

I'm really enjoying sharing more about the Good Shepherd with Buck and Honeybee during this Easter season.  I took Jessica's advice and laminated the stickers for the Garden of the Good Shepherd activity.  I cut them out and placed them in a small basket near the garden poster. We are using mounting putty to hold them in place.

Now for our "Garden Party"...

This week's focus ~

The Good Shepherd's Pasture

~ Snack time ~

Popcorn (sheep)

The sheep in the sheepfold with a few gone astray.

Our Good Shepherd patiently watching and waiting to bring the lost back into His sheepfold.

Snuggle Bug's Gate to the Sheepfold

&

Lamb's Wool

to drink.

~ Supper Time ~

Delicious Mini Shepherd Pies

Shepherd's Crook Breadsticks

and cute little lamb cupcakes.

During dessert we discussed who the Good Shepherd was to each of us.

What a fun and meaningful way to celebrate the first week of Easter.

Visit Catholic Cuisine for more Garden Party fun!

We Experienced FIRST HAND Our Lord's Divine Mercy!

We are so thankful for Our Lord's Mercy in sparing us from harm last week.  We were in the DIRECT PATH of the deadly tornado that ripped across the state of AL on the 27th of April.  We were having supper when we heard the tornado was hitting downtown Tuscaloosa. We turned on the television to a horrifying site.  You just know people are losing everything when you see a tornado a mile wide ripping right through a city!

It wasn't long before the tornado sirens were sounding and we realized this monster was heading straight for Birmingham.  We got in our safest spot under our staircase and prayed our Divine Mercy Novena.  Buck is especially terrified of tornadoes!!!  He held a small crucifix and prayed his little heart out.  We all did!  Our Lord is so good to us!!  From what I understand, the tornado lifted from the ground for about 8 miles.  I can't find the words to tell you how amazing it is that our home is in the middle of that stretch!  We are so thankful, humbled, grateful.....

You can visit this blog to see it for yourself ~
The Original Weather Blog: More on Birmingham, AL Tornado 4-27-11: "***Updated 4-30-11, 9am (added prelim. track map, videos & photos). The violent, extremely damaging tornado that struck the Western and Nor..."

Please continue to pray for all those who were affected by the storms last Wednesday!

Wordless Wednesday ~ Easter 2011

Happy Easter!

Join in the fun at WW!

The Holy Triduum 2011

What a blessing this Holy Triduum was!  We were able to take part in the entire three part celebration.  Father Adams explained the Mass on Holy Thursday begins with the Sign of the Cross and we do not make the Sign of the Cross again until the end of the Easter Vigil.  We were so thankful to be able to make it to The Mass of the Lord's Supper and celebrate the institution of the Holy Eucharist and the Priesthood.  Once we were home and had the little ones in bed, The House Cat, Snuggle Bug, Dad and I watched The Passion of the Christ.  We all agreed watching this beforehand helped us to focus on all Our Lord endured for us on Good Friday.

Good Friday was a day spent in prayer, fasting and thanksgiving.  I'm so glad we were able to spend the day together as a family.  This is one day my honey tries to take off work.  We did our best to keep things as quiet as possible around here.  Dad rang the bell at noon and called us to pray the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary together.  We drove over to the monastery and prayed the outdoor Stations of the Cross.  We made it home just before three which was the perfect time to pray The Divine Mercy Chaplet  and begin our novena. 

In the evening we went back to church for The Lord's Passion and Veneration of the Cross.  The priests began by laying prostrate before the stripped altar.  It was moving and powerful. 

We tried to carry on silence into Holy Saturday.  We all realized this was an area we needed to improve on from years past.  After all, our Lord is still in the tomb!  The kids watched some of Jesus of Nazareth again and then we all took a nap to get ready for a late night.

It was our first Easter Vigil as family and the little ones were soooo excited!  I mean what's better than going to Mass at night in a dark church and then getting to hold your own lit candle?  Thankfully Buck didn't catch Honeybee's hair on fire :)
No really, it was incredible and I just feel so blessed that we were able to be a part of the WHOLE celebration!  There were 3 adults baptized!!!  Thanks be to God!!!
We also have 44 new Catholics who became members of Christ's Church!!

God is SO GOOD!!!!

Christ is Risen!

The Fifth Sorrowful Mystery

Our Lord's Crucifixion

The Fourth Sorrowful Mystery

Our Lord Carries His Cross

The Third Sorrowful Mystery

Our Lord is Crowned With Thorns

The Second Sorrowful Mystery

Our Lord's Scourging at the Pillar

The First Sorrowful Mystery

See You in the Eucharist

Rechenka's Eggs ~ Book and Activity

Rechenka's Eggs is such a wonderful book!

Honeybee wanted me to read it to her yesterday.  So, I asked her and Buck to join me on the couch to read.  As usual, Buck gave me lip about it.  "Do I have to?"

Yes, I told him.  Poutingly, he sat down beside us girls.

About half way through the book, he leaned over and rested his head on my shoulder, looking as I read.  When I was finished, I asked him to choose a book for me to read.

Guess what he said???  "Let's read this one again."

Of course, I opened it right up and began to read again.  This time I stopped when we got to the page where Babushka is blowing the inside of the egg out and asked if they would like to try this.  "Really?"  Yes, really :)

You'll want to wash the egg first

Then poke a tiny hole in each end.  I used a small pocket knife and a needle.

Then blow, blow, and blow so more....

I've since learned they make hand tools for this :)

Once the eggs were empty inside, I washed them with cool water and put them in an empty egg carton to drip dry.  The empty egg shells are so light!  Everyone thought that was really cool.

We watched this video of a real Babushka painting the eggs in a special way called psyanky.  This is an amazing form of art!

I knew this was more than I could do at home, so I broke out the "special - permanent" paint that the kids had been begging to use for some time.

Here are their creations and the meanings of the symbols they chose.

Honeybee

Brown Cross for Strength in Jesus

Blue Swirl for protection inside a triangle which represents the Holy Trinity

White represents purity

Buck

Blue Swirl for good health and defense

Green Saw for spring, new growth, and loyalty

Brown Net for endurance as a fisher of men

Snuggle Bug

Red Rose for happiness, love and caring

Ribbons for everlasting life

Brown Ladder for strength and endurance in prayer

Yellow Cross for Christ's light

Red swirls for Hope in God's protection

Purple nets for denying yourself and searching out the lost



This was definitely a fun activity.  We are all hoping to make more for Easter Sunday.  I think they will really add to the Easter dinner table both in beauty and conversation.

You can also visit Homeschool Share for a ton of activities that go along with this book.

Distance

You are gone from here ~ not really.

I can't talk to you ~ not really.

I miss you ~ you are alive in my memories.  You come to me in dreams.  I feel you in my heart.  There is a great distance between us.  Not really.....  The kids have been watching home movies.  You are healthy and laughing your boisterous laugh. 

You have gone on ahead of us ~ an answer to my prayers.  61 short years here on earth  ~ eternity with Our Lord.  One day we will be together again.  No more distance....  Until then ~ you are here.  In my heart.  Alive in memories.  Alive in the love you shared for us all.  Not so much distance after all.  I love you, Daddy.

Got five minutes? Tell us about Distance. No editing, no fussing, just five minutes of writing. And then link up over at Gypsy Mama's place.

Hearts For Home ~ April 6, 2011

In today’s busy and aggressive society mothers at home are not given much encouragement to be committed to their role in being home.

In my weekly 'Hearts for Home' post I am encouraging myself and others to commit to thinking about what 4-6 things we can do each week to bring our thoughts, prayers and actions to keeping our 'Hearts for Home'.

Begin reading Courageous Generosity by Stacy Mitch.  I'm really looking forward to starting this!

Continue to be mindful of my computer time.  It's soooo easy to let time slip away even when your perusing "good stuff."  Try to only get onto the computer every other day. (If you know me well, you'll know this would be a HUGE accomplishment!)

Spend more time reading aloud to the kids. 

Fight the temptation to listen to secular music.  It really does pull one in the wrong direction.  Besides, there's soooo much wonderful Christian music out today!

Spend more time outside with the kids.  We planted flowers last Saturday.  It was truly therapeutic.  We gave everyone a spot and let them pick out their own flowers.

Honeybee's Garden ~

Buck's Garden ~

Snuggle Bug and The House Cat's Garden ~

Columbine

pretty pansies

Grace Ward

Mom's Garden ~

~new comfy swing~

~Rosy Cheeks~

Dad's Garden ~ (for now)

New mailbox

(I'm sure the mail carrier is thankful for this since the other door fell off every time you opened it :)

Vivacious Vincas

(My mom swears by these.) 

Visit Gae at Cherished Hearts at Home for more Hearts for Home inspiration!