A must-read for sufferers of burnout...

Jennifer at Conversion Diary has written an excellent article, The Ultimate Burnout Survival Guide. I highly recommend reading it. She makes a few excellent suggestions about diagnosing and recovering from burnout. Is there a homeschooling mom out there who doesn't suffer from it at least now and then...?

When she smiles...

...my world is so much brighter!

Plans for The Feast of the Archangels

I really didn't have much in the way of plans until I came up with some at the last minute. Thankfully there are bloggers who make this so easy!

Charlotte, of Waltzing Matilda, has these great coloring pages of the Archangels which I intend to print out for the kids. We will have waffles for breakfast, as there seems to be some connection between St. Michael and waffles--go figure. Before dinner I think we will use this prayer from My Nameday--Come for Dessert, which Jessica has posted on her blog. And, yes, I will make the obligatory Angel Food cake with strawberries and whipped cream for dessert.

I don't know that we will do much more--there are so many feast days coming up, and I don't want to burn out! Just this week we have the Archangels, St. Therese, the Guardian Angels and St. Francis!

Simple Woman's Daybook for September 28th

Outside my window…6:07 and dark, windy and cool.

I am thinking…about too many things this morning! Loose ends to tie up, bills to pay, chores that have been put off for too long...How I wish I could magically bring everything up-to-date and have a nice fresh start!

I am thankful for…a fairly relaxing Sunday. We stayed a long time after Mass visiting with friends and at home Gemma had a decent nap so that I could work on one of my projects.

From the kitchen...Okay, I'll admit it. We are all sick of muffins. Today it will be egg and sausage breakfast burritos since we have tons of sausage from our last pig and the chickens seem to be laying a bit better again (I think they are coming out of a long molting period!)

I am creating…Una's sweater. Started on the second half of the front. I do hope to be done with it by the end of October, but that may be pushing it...

I am reading…I don't read much other than my Bible and books for school these days. I keep telling myself that one day the kids will be grown and there will be plenty of time to read.

I am hoping...for this interminable bug to leave my friend Marilyn's home! And for God's grace to get a lot done next week. We are taking off after 6 weeks of school so that I may form a goal-list for the next six weeks and restock my freezer with broth, breads and a few meals.

I am hearing…Sebastian and Gabriel quietly playing in the living room.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Other than school, trying to squeeze in a few moments for my projects; order ink for the printer (Agh! I bought ink in July and I'm out again!), attend Mass on Friday.

I am praying...For my mother to stay well so that nothing spoils her trip to Rome next week! And I continue to pray for work for Bret. He is finishing up his second altar, this one for Our Lady of the Caves in Horse Cave, KY, and I don't know what he will be doing when it is finished.

A Picture Thought: a few days ago we had a visit from a neighbor we'd never formally met. This is a shot of Andy and Doc (Doc is the one without a hat). It's nice to live in a place where people occasionally come past your house on horseback or, as in the case with our Mennonite neighbors, in buggies.

Now go and visit Peggy's Simple Woman's Daybook to read some more entries.

Seven Quick Takes Friday--Volume 52

One.
I am still thinking with delight of the little geography bee we had on Australia last night after Rosary. The kids were so eager to show off their knowledge to their papa. They did amazingly well, and I am especially pleased with Una, who did a fine job of teaching the states, territories and major cities to the boys. I had to refer to my map to see if they were correct!

Two.
Baked Oatmeal for breakfast this morning:

1/3 cup butter, melted 1/4 tsp. salt

2 eggs 1 cup milk plus 1 Tbsp. milk
3/4 cup brown sugar (I use a bit less) 1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder 3 cups regular or quick oats
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon raisins (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13x9" baking dish. In a bowl, mix eggs, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla and mix until there are no lumps. Stir in the milk, butter and oats, and raisins if desired. Spread in prepared dish and bake for 30 minutes, or refrigerate overnight and bake for 35-40 minutes the next morning. Serve warm with milk or cream. It's like a big oatmeal cookie for breakfast!

Three.
I am itching to work on Una's sweater, but haven't had time since Sunday! And tomorrow looks like it will be taken up with the seasonal clothing change. I have to see if all the kids have coats that fit for this winter--the boys probably do, but Una most likely has outgrown hers from last year.

Four.
Gemma took decent naps yesterday and slept well last night. Oh, how good it feels to have more than six hours of sleep! I feel like a human being again...

Five.
Still feeling guilty about not doing anything really educational with the younger boys, other than doing letter collages with Adrian so that he can finally learn the sounds and names of the letters--something Una was doing at the age of 3. I am so busy with the older kids that I haven't much time for the younger ones. I need a plan for teaching numbers and letters and other things to them. Una would be willing to do it when she is done with her work, I am sure. Time to pour over the alphabet and number books we have...

Six.
Please read this article from Inside the Vatican magazine. Our poor Holy Father is being attacked from all sides. Certainly the Enemy is active and detests what Benedict is doing for the Church, and he hates holy priests and the vicar of Christ in particular. Pray, pray, pray for our dear Holy Father and for the Church.

Seven.
I need to start perusing some of my bookmarked craft sites looking for easy gifts to make. The budget is tight this year, and we will be cutting back. Time is limited, too, so it will take a whole lot of ingenuity to make up for the lack of cash! Nothing like a slim wallet to foster creativity!

You can find many more Quick Takes over at Jennifer's Conversion Diary.

Small Successes Volume 36

Not much to brag about this week. The baby is going through a phase I remember suffering with Sebastian. She can Power-Nap. Yesterday, and the two days previous, she didn't nap for more than 10 or 15 minutes at a time, then spent 30 minutes screaming while I waited for her to go back to sleep. Her longest nap was an hour around dinner time. That was it, outside of catnaps, until 11:30 p.m.

I recalled reading in a book about 8 years ago, when Sebastian did this, that you have to watch the baby carefully and wait for the second yawn. That is the ideal time to put the baby down. By the third yawn the baby is over-tired and may not go down well.

It worked most of the time with Sebastian, and this morning it is working with Gemma. Alleluia!

Anyway, back to the week's successes, small as they may be:

1) I managed to have a really nice feast-day for St. Pio yesterday. We had a wonderful dinner of my favorite quick pasta dish with penne, pesto, Italian sausage, sliced black olives, diced tomatoes and Parmesan cheese along with garlic bread, and I made cappuccino mousse for dessert. I spoke at length about Padre Pio to the kids and they found him pretty fascinating. And after our rosary, I anointed them with Padre Pio blessed oil given to us by a priest friend.

2) Still having fun with Geography. The kids have learned so much about Australia and have had a great time producing aboriginal style art on heavy brown paper. We rented a great documentary on Australia and although we couldn't afford a trip to Kentucky Down Under this year, the kids had fun learning about Australian animals with a number of other resources.

3) I've managed breakfast, lunch and dinner every day thus far this week.

(Just don't ask me about my bathrooms.)

Now visit Faith and Family Live to see some more Small Successes!

Glitch Resolved

And I'm so glad!

Was it something I said...?

More likely a Blogger Boo-Boo. As of this evening, I seem to have no followers. I clung to the small, intimate group of fourteen I had, but now there is just an empty box on my sidebar.

I'm fairly sure it's not a vendetta or conspiracy. Hope I'll see your sweet avatars again soon!

Saint Pio of Pietrelcina

A Prayer to Jesus by St. Pio of Pietrelcina

Oh my Jesus, give me Your strength when my weak nature rebels against the distress and suffering of this life of exile, and enable me to accept everything with serenity and peace. With my whole strength I cling to Your merits, Your sufferings, Your expiation, and Your tears, so that I may be able to cooperate with You in the work of salvation. Give me strength to fly from sin, the only cause of Your agony, Your sweat of blood, and Your death. Destroy in me all that displeases You and fill my heart with the fire of Your holy love and all Your sufferings. Clasp me tenderly, firmly, close to You that I may never leave You alone in Your cruel Passion. I ask only for a place of rest in Your Heart. My desire is to share in Your agony and be beside You in the Garden. May my soul be inebriated by Your love and fed with the bread of Your sorrow. Amen.

Although I have known about him for a long time, I only became very attached to him in the last couple of years. I am not sure why. I suppose it could be that he lived in my lifetime, that there are loads of photos of him, that he was Italian (I'm in love with all things Italian!), and/or that reading about him one finds that he was so very human, and yet so close to God. Just as it is our weaknesses that allow God to work in us, sometimes it is our weaknesses that draw others close to us as well. He could be downright ornery when someone was offending God or not being very honest in the confessional. He was irritated by curiosity seekers. He certainly is no two-dimensional holy card image.

Maybe that's it: he is very, very real to me, like an unseen member of my household. And I feel affection for him as I would for a dear uncle.

Padre Pio, pray for us!

When will it end...?

No sunshine in the forecast until next week, and then it will be accompanied by a 20 degree drop in temperature. That means it is time for the annual Changing of the Wardrobe, otherwise known as That Hateful Bi-Annual Chore. Honestly, I'd rather scrub shower stalls all week.

The kids are getting crabbier by the hour. Videos have become our sanity-savers in those long after-school hours. Yes, we are in the throes of Cabin Fever.



With apologies for the Portuguese subtitles. Unless, of course, you happen to be Portuguese.

Simple Woman's Daybook for September 21st

Outside my window…5:57 and 70 degrees. Certain to be another balmy, rainy day.

I am thinking…about this week. I need to look at my plan for the first 6 weeks of school and see how we are doing. I fear that we are not where I had hoped to be, but I may just have to lower my expectations (a better plan than panicking and driving my poor kids nuts!)

I am thankful for…a decent sleep last night, although I had to let poor Gemma cry awhile to get it.

From the kitchen...French toast and mandarin oranges (What, no muffins???)

I am creating…Una's sweater. Hope to finish the left front this week, but I haven't time to knit much on week days/

I am reading… other than my Bible, not much. As always, I've a stack of books I want to read, but no time for reading other than what I need to for school.

I am hoping...for an end to this dreadful rain! We've had it for over a week, and the forecast doesn't show anything else in the week ahead! Normally I love the rain, but having a houseful of kids day after day does alter my feelings about it.

I am hearing…nothing. Just insects and birds. Oh, what peace before the daily storm!

A few plans for the rest of the week: I didn't get to do my yogurt and granola last week, so I hope to find time to do it this week. I have a lot of correspondence to try to squeeze in, too. And I want to begin to plan for the holidays. I need to start list-making!

I am praying...for my dad, who is having a number of personal problems on top of his severe health problems. For my dear sister and for my dear friend Cindy, both of whom are expecting, that their pregnancies are smooth and easy. For Bret to be able to find more work and continue to work at home.

A Picture Thought: Adrian loves Gemma to the point of sometimes really getting on her nerves. I asked him, "When she gets bigger, will you be her knight in shining armor?" He replied flatly, "No. She won't be little and cute anymore."Now visit Peggy to read some more Daybook entries, and have a blessed week!

God Said No

I found this on Rural Revolution and loved it. Thank you, Patrice, for passing this along.

I asked God to take away my habit. God said, “No. It is not for me to take it away, but for you to give it up.”

I asked God to make my handicapped child whole. God said, “No. His spirit is whole, his body is only temporary.”

I asked God to grant me patience. God said, “No. Patience is a byproduct of tribulations. It isn't granted, it is learned.”

I asked God to give me happiness. God said, “No. I give you blessings. Happiness is up to you.”

I asked God to spare me pain. God said, “No. Suffering draws you apart from worldly cares and brings you closer to me.”

I asked God to make my spirit grow. God said, “No. You must grow on your own, but I will prune you to make you fruitful.”

I asked God for all things that I might enjoy life. God said, “No. I will give you life, so that you may enjoy all things.”

I asked God to help me love others as much as He loves me. God said, “Ahhhh, finally you have the idea!”

Seven Quick Takes Friday--volume 51

One.
We are blowing off school this morning, as we will be having friends over. Wish me luck--it's been raining for days and I'm hoping that we can keep eleven kids entertained in some peaceful and non-destructive ways today!

Two.
This friend who is coming said, when I excused in advance my messy house (I only find time to clean on Saturdays), that an indication of true friendship is not sweating over such things in the presence of a friend. She said she would feel honored if my house was to be messy when she comes. Well, here's hoping she really feels the love when her shoes stick to my kitchen floor or her baby finds fuzzy Cheerios to eat beneath the furniture...

Three.
We made our bi-monthly trip to the library yesterday and I actually made it into the adult section for the very first time. I couldn't find anything to read, other than a book on hair-cutting at home, which I already do, but I'm sure there's room for improvement.

Four.
Crow was on the menu last night...
Have you ever accused your child of something awful and then gotten the whole story and realized that they were doing just the opposite of what you thought? If not, you probably won't have a clue as to what I'm talking about. It's like seeing two people thrashing in the water and thinking that one is trying to drown the other when really the one is attempting to rescue the other from drowning. Let's just say that I have learned a valuable lesson, the crux of which is: keep your great, big mouth shut until you can interrogate the witnesses and have all the facts.

Five.
I need my carpets cleaned. The bottoms of my feet are black, and I haven't been outside with bare feet at all this week. Yuck.

Six.
We stopped by the plain folks (Old World Mennonites) yesterday on our way to the library. The men and boys were out with carts and horse teams bringing in the sorghum cane. We stopped by the Habeggers for the gallon of honey we had ordered and chatted a while with Mrs. Habegger. The children are all so lovely and sweet, the little girls with their blue day dresses, white caps and bare feet. One of them, Marian, who is about Dominic's age, stole my heart. At first she was so shy and clung to her mother's skirt. She broke into tears when Bret spoke to her. But after about fifteen minutes of us chatting with her mother, she came up to me smiling and holding her untied cap strings between her fingers. She smiled as I stooped to tie them for her. Her little smiling face beneath the white cap just made my day.

Seven.
Looking forward to the old version of Cheaper by the Dozen coming in from Netflix today. Good Friday evening family viewing!

Now go and visit Jennifer at Conversion Diary to read some other Quick Takes!

Small Successes Volume 35

1) In spite of a few outbursts of impatience on my part, the school week, in my opinion, has been a success. I think the kids are actually learning something in Geography and History--subjects which in the past often fell by the wayside. This years success is in part due to Marilyn's extraordinary organizational skills and also due to success number two, which is

2) I am overcoming my need to stick pedantically to the books. In Saxon Math I have begun to mark off which problems I want Una to do, and I let her skip what I know she knows. This means that unlike last year, math never takes her over an hour to do, and she often is done with it in 30 minutes.

3) We did fun stuff this week! Crafts and art and collages for feast days and for Geography. The kids love it and so do I. If you don't have bits of paper and glitter-glue stuck to your floor, you aren't really making the most of homeschooling! Why should all the fun only be for the little kids?

Go visit Faith & Family Live to share your Small Successes with others!

Educating for Heaven, not Harvard

Another wonderful quote this morning from My Daily Catholic Bible. Today is the feast of St. Robert Bellarmine, who said,

"The school of Christ is the school of Charity. On the last day, when the general examination takes place, there will be no question at all on the text of Aristotle, the aphorisms of Hippocrates, or the paragraphs of Justinian. Charity will be the whole syllabus."

Is this not the main reason we Catholic home-educating moms are doing what we do?

The challenges of schooling at home

One expects academic challenges. And the difficulties inherent in wearing too many hats (i.e., rushed meal preparations; messy floors; paperwork, ironing and correspondence all piling up). It is no surprise that it is a challenge trying to keep all the plates spinning without any crashing to the ground. Some days can really bring you to your knees--which is what God wants anyway--and only bring a smile to your lips in retrospect. What public or private school teacher ever had to deal with the following?

1) Trying to set out the day's work while holding a nursing infant.
2) Trying to maintain quiet during math drills as a 3 and 4 year-old bounce on the living room sofa and shriek in glee.
3) Trying to assist a sixth grader with math while the 3 year old repeatedly takes off his shorts to parade around butt-naked.
4) Giving a spelling quiz with a baby in a carrier, while pouring juice for the 3 year-old who has both legs in one leg-hole of his shorts.

I won't even mention diaper changes, potty training and the like. As a friend of mine who used to teach in an actual classroom, and who now schools her own kids at home said, "The difference between teaching in a classroom and teaching my own kids is that at school my students actually liked me."

It's been a long morning...

Our Lady of Sorrows

(click on this image for a larger view of the detail)

I have a real connection to Our Lady of Sorrows. I suppose every mother does or thinks she does, as every mother suffers for, through and with her children.

My relationship with the Blessed Mother has been unfolding since my conversion. At first, I could not connect with her at all. Try as I might, I couldn't relate to her as much more than a plaster statue or a holy card; at best, she was an historical figure. In fact, I was having the same difficulties with her as I had had with Christ before my conversion. This was compounded by the fact that while growing up I had had a rather difficult relationship with my own mother. No fault of hers--I was a really difficult child (and adolescent and teen).

The Sorrowful Mother first "came to me" in the form of an old Servite prayer book entitled, Behold Thy Mother, which I "rescued" from a thrift store in Charlotte, NC. It was under a glass counter, priced at $8 (pretty pricey for a thrift store), but it happened to be the day when everything in the store was 50% off.

It is full of devotions to Our Lady of Sorrows, as that is the particular devotion of the Servite order. It remains my favorite prayer book. Over the years, it has become easier and easier to turn to Mary with my troubles. I have consecrated myself and my family to her for years, but it has only been fairly recently that I felt a real comfort in turning to her.

I felt badly this year, as I did not manage to carry through with the spiritual preparations for my annual re-consecration to Mary according to the method of St. Louis de Montfort. I would have had to start on July 13th, and Gemma was born on the 14th. I felt badly because I really never thought about what "gift" I would give Mary this time, and asked her to tell me what she would like. If she has done so, the hint has been too subtle for me to understand.

Instead, I feel that she has given me a gift, as my love of her and trust in her has increased noticeably since the Feast of the Assumption, the feast on which I was to reconsecrate myself. I also keep coming across her name in connection with St. Gemma Galgani. For instance, this morning as I was reading today's selection from My Daily Catholic Bible, I read the quote at the beginning for the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows:

"Blessed Mother dear, lend me your heart. I look for it each day to pour my troubles into."

--St. Gemma Galgani

Let us continue to pour out our troubles to our devoted Mother, who will never fail to comfort and strengthen us.

Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Some of the crosses the kids made. This first one Una embroidered:


Sebastian sculpted this pendant from Sculpey:


This was Gabriel's "Shrinky-Dink" cross:


And Una did this with markers on Plexiglas:

Next year I really want to bake cross-shaped cookies and have a cookie hunt as described on Catholic Cuisine!

Simple Woman's Daybook for September 14th

Outside my window…5:57 and 65 degrees. Faint glow on the eastern horizon. The chirring of insects and a few early birds chirping. Such peace! In a short while the rule of the day will be noise and chaos until bedtime tonight!

I am thinking…about my recent loss of peace. Maybe it is still hormones at nearly 9 weeks postpartum, but I seem to be anxious about so many things lately. Jesus, I trust in you!

I am thankful for…the important-but-frequently-overlooked things. Family and friends. No serious health problems, food on the table and a good roof over our heads. The beauty of the view behind our house. Our Catholic faith and God's constant support.

From the kitchen...Blueberry muffins and canned pears

I am creating…Una's sweater. I am done with the back and have started the left front.

I am reading… other than my Bible, I have been reading the library books I checked out on Australia (for geography) and ancient Egypt (for history). The stack of books I want to read and my wish list on Amazon keeps growing!

I am hoping...for a productive week with time for some of the fun stuff!

I am hearing…Now I hear crows making a distant racket, and Gabe is in the living room quietly playing with Megablocks. It is always quiet until a second child awakens!

A few plans for the rest of the week: I did get my laundry soap and playdough done last week. This week I have lesson plans to work on, a huge pile of ironing and mending (the mending seems to never get done!), and some pre-planning for Christmas--gift idea list and Christmas card list. I'd like to make another batch of granola and more yogurt, and bake some bread--which I haven't done since late in my pregnancy with Gemma!

I am praying...for peace and calm. For that spirit of joy and peace that seems to elude us during the school week. For my sister and my nephew, and for my good friends and the challenges they are facing this week, whatever they may be.

A Picture Thought: For the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. I love the detail of a carved ivory corpus.Now visit Peggy's for more Daybook entries. Have a good week!

Seven Quick Takes Friday--volume 50

One.
Tallying the week's successes against the week's failures, I would say that the week was mostly a success. We got the schooling done for the most part, and I stuck with the meal plan and kept up with laundry. The greatest failure was the little boys. They get so noisy that I have to banish them from the room, and I feel like I am just shoving them out of range all morning until the major work is done. I have tried to find quiet activities for them, but even coloring and sculpting quickly become contact sports for them, and noisy ones at that.

Two.
I hate Christmas shopping. We live in a rural area and our budget is tight, so this means doing a lot of online shopping and trying to get the best deals on shipping. I probably should have started months ago, but with the beginning of school and a new baby, I just didn't.

Three.
It is rather sad that I don't like the whole Christmas hullabaloo anymore. I love the feast, and I love Advent. I love Mass at Christmas, too. But since I am in charge of shopping, wrapping, baking, decorating and writing cards--everything, in fact, other than putting the tree in the stand--it just becomes an additional burden and I have to fight myself not to come across as Scrooge. We really don't have an overwhelming Christmas and do much less than other folks (no real exterior decorating, gifts only for immediate family, etc.), but it still seems too much for me.
In my less noble moments I have been known to remind the kids that if anything ever happens to me, there will be no more Christmas...

Four.
This year I promise to remember Gabriel's birthday. With all the Christmas and Advent to-do, I have often made Gabe's birthday, stuck between Thanksgiving and Christmas as it is, an afterthought. This year I will remember to plan for it.

Five.
I am already looking ahead to Gemma outgrowing her co-sleeper, and I feel sad. I wish I could keep her in our room for many more months. Our bed is not a long-term option, as it is a full-sized mattress and Bret and I have semi-permanent stiff necks and shoulders as is from sleeping on our sides with Gemma. But she is so sweet, and has become a pretty good sleeper.

Six.
I'm feeling a bit crabby this morning and have to fight it. We are all called to become saints, and saints don't let their crabby moods affect everyone around them. I'll try to gripe only to God. Mentally. With a forced smile on my face.

Seven.
Today, 9/11, is the fourth anniversary of Una's First Holy Communion. Wasn't she lovely? Do you think I'm happy to have another little girl? Yep!

Visit Jennifer at Conversion Diary for other Quick Takes! And have a great weekend!

I just grit my teeth and bear it...

I'm not a big fan of mud. At least I haven't been for the last 35 years or so. But somewhere in my head there lurks a dim memory of loving the squishy stuff, and for the sake of that memory, I look the other way and provide warm showers and towels when necessary.

Plus, these warm days will soon be over, and mud won't be half so enjoyable for many moons...

BIG bug!

Bret found this guy in his workshop and handed him over to our resident entomologist, Gabriel. He says it is a Rhinoceros Beetle. If so, this guy is a relatively small specimen at just about 3 inches.

Small Successes Volume 34

1) In the kitchen this week I have made a gallon of yogurt, a batch of play-dough, enough pancakes to serve one breakfast and freeze two more, and a mess of barbecued pork.

2) I have taught school and managed to do more than just the core subjects.

3) I have actually read some of the books that I checked out from the library for the kids, and am nearly done with the back of the sweater I am making for Una.

And most incredibly, I have done this with a rambunctious 4 year-old, a mischievous 3 year old and an infant who is usually attached to my front.

Hoping to crown the week with two haircuts and a batch of laundry soap...

Blow your horn! Share your Small Successes on Faith and Family Live!

Smile! And a visit from Oma

And here she is with my mother, "Oma" to the kids.

Another pocket for Gemma Roo

Gemma, eight weeks old today, is still happiest when I am wearing her. My favorite carrier, and hers, is the Moby-type wrap. I find it very comfortable and can wear it for hours without any pain, but it is not easy to get in and out of. The other carrier I have is this sling I made from these instructions. It's made from cotton with 3% Lycra,so it stretches a bit and "hugs" my shoulder. I just can't wear it as long as the wrap.

The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

"Bestow upon your servants, we beseech Thee, O Lord, the gift of Thy heavenly grace, that, as the childbearing of the Blessed Virgin was the beginning of our salvation, so the votive feast of her Nativity may bring us an increase of peace. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Simple Woman's Daybook for September 7th

Outside my window…5:59 and 65 degrees. Dark and wet, as a thunderstorm just passed through.

I am thinking…About school. Yes, we are laboring on Labor Day. I am adding the spelling programs to our curriculum this week, and hoping to do a better job of things this week than in the first two.

I am thankful for…Gemma sleeping better these days. It means she is up more during the day, but at least she isn't going to sleep at midnight! Last night she was a little congested, but for the most part she slept well for the fourth night in a row.

From the kitchen...Banana nut muffins and yogurt with blueberries.

I am creating…Una's sweater. Nearly done with the back. It is a lovely deep red that is perfect for autumn and winter.

I am reading… other than my Bible, I have been reading the library books I checked out on Australia (for geography) and ancient Egypt (for history).

I am hoping...for a productive week with time for some of the fun stuff!

I am hearing…the dryer (no hanging out laundry today!) and Sebastian turning the pages of a book in the livingroom.

A few plans for the rest of the week: make a fresh batch of play-dough and a couple of gallons of laundry soap; give Bret and Sebastian haircuts; bake a cake for the Blessed Mother's birthday tomorrow.

I am praying...for my sister's various challenges right now; for my friend Cindy, who is pregnant and whose family just got over a horrendous intestinal virus (two bathrooms can never be enough when 11 people are ill!); for God's will to be done in our home and for a spirit of joy and peace in our family. The bickering in this house between siblings is more stressful to me than just about anything else.

A Picture Thought: Gemma napping on the bed while I was tidying the bedroom. Aren't tiny baby fingers just the sweetest thing?Take a look at what others are doing in their daybooks at Peggy's.

A first Sunday reminder...

...to pray for vocations in your families. Read about the fruitful prayers of the mothers of Lu at Spiritual Motherhood for Priests.

Wanna make God laugh?

Tell Him your plans.

I had this nice feast day planned out and spent the better part of the day in the kitchen. Then, shortly before dinner, Gabe gets himself into a narrow weed-eater box and tips over--falls like timber--onto the concrete floor of the schoolroom. Big bump on the head.

I don't worry too much, after all, cinder-block heads kind of fun in the family. But when Gabe said he was dizzy whenever he got up, I thought it might need to be looked at. So Bret wolfed down a bowl of curry, declared it good, and left for the ER 30 minutes away. The rest of us ate in their absence and had a cup of decaf chai afterward.

He passed the little tests the doctor gave him and came home with a list of things to look out for, and he will sleep in our room tonight. I figured as much. A bit after Bret and Gabriel had left, we spotted a big rainbow outside.

Bl. Mother Teresa of Calcutta

I love Mother Teresa and her Missionaries of Charity. I had the good fortune to get to know some of them better when we lived in Charlotte. Before Una's birth, I did some volunteer work with the Sisters, tutoring the kids in the Vietnamese community after school. We prayed in their chapel, were honored by their presence at Una's baptism, and Bret did repair work in their house. In fact, he was at their house, on his knees installing shoe molding, when the word came to the sisters (by phone) that Mother Teresa had died.

Today we will honor the memory of this wonderful woman who saw Christ in everyone she met, and who reflected Christian joy like no one else in the last century.Here is Sr. Drita Maris holding Una. I still have the baby bath they gave me for her, and bathe Gemma in it.

I have plans for today in this post. And I'd better get to work--there is much to be done!

P.S.: Please note in my sidebar the link for information on the retreat on the life of Mother Teresa to be given by the Fathers of Mercy on November 7th, 2009.

Seven Quick Takes Friday--volume 49 again (what's up with that, Jen?)

One.
We went to a First Friday Mass today for the first time. Bret has been self-employed since the end of February, so why we have only started now is a mystery to me. I just didn't think about it. Pregnancy and postpartum-brain, I guess. Anyway, I really enjoyed it and hope to continue.

Two.
Coming home from the library yesterday, I rested my elbow on a yellow jacket that had somehow gotten into the van, and got stung. The sting wasn't too horribly painful until today--the whole arm felt sore from shoulder to wrist. It is beginning to feel a bit better now.

Three.
Met another homeschooling mama yesterday at the library. We had that "instant recognition" thing happen when we saw one another, both of us wearing our babies. And we both are Christian, have our babies at home, raise food animals, moved to the country from the city and use cloth diapers. Spooky...

Four.
I am roasting chickens for tomorrow's chicken curry dinner in honor of Blessed Mother Teresa. We are having a meatless pasta dish tonight, but the smell of the roasting birds is driving me mad with hunger.

Five.
Speaking of Mother Teresa, the Fathers of Mercy are going to have a free one day retreat celebrating the life of Bl. Mother Teresa on November 7th, 2009. If you are anywhere in the area, this promises to be a really nice event. The conferences are always wonderful, and the
Chapel and grounds are really lovely. Plan to come if you can!

Six.
Gemma dozed off at 9:40 last night and slept until 2:30 without waking, and I slept as well. This was good since we all had to leave the house at 7:20 for Mass. I feel almost normal today!

Seven.
I got my menu plan made up for the next four weeks! I feel so good about this. I didn't bother with breakfast and lunch because I can work that out pretty quickly (it is always pretty much the same things around here), but just having the dinners worked out is a big weight off my shoulders. I can't imagine anyone who homeschools getting by without at least a dinner plan.

Now, hop on over to Jen's Conversion Diary for more Quick Takes!

Small Successes Volume 33

1) I managed to keep the kids on track with school for the second week in a row.

2) I did this averaging 5 hours of sleep--interrupted sleep--per night.

3) I laid out plans for feast days for the month ahead.

4) Bonus--got to the library and got the books I will need for geography and history next week.

So much left undone this week! Menu plans are an absolute necessity, I find, and I need to get some in place. My cooktop is looking pretty gross, and I need to make yogurt and laundry soap. I have to cut Sebastian's hair again and iron a pile of clothes.

At least I am keeping up with the diapers.

Now head on over to Faith and Family Live for some other Small Successes.

Fun with our faith in September

I'm just taking a look at my calender and trying to think ahead a bit. Here are some of the things we are trying to do this month liturgically:

5 Sept. Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta. We will color this coloring page and read this book from the library. I also have this book which the kids can look at, and I think I will make this curried chicken recipe for dinner along with some home made naan.

8 Sept. Nativity of Mary. We will attempt this cake--so pretty!--and we will look at some of the art books and find various paintings and sculptures of Mary throughout history.

14 Sept. Exaltation of the Holy Cross. I will have the kids make their own crosses in whatever media they choose. I will suggest watercolors, Sculpey, shrinky-dinks, tissue paper collage, decoupage, wood (Bret would assist there), embroidery or whatever they come up with.

15 Sept. The Seven Sorrows of Mary. I am trying to come up with a unique craft idea for this day. We will discuss the sorrows of our Blessed Mother and pray the Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows of Mary.

23 Sept. St. Pio of Pietrelcina. One of my favorite saints, to whom I turn frequently. I only have plans for an Italian dinner of which I am very fond, and which is quick to make (recipe will be forthcoming) and this cappuccino mousse for dessert. Sometime during the week we will hopefully watch this film, which my sister has.

29 Sept. Holy Archangels. We will read all about the angels and find a neat angel craft to do, and maybe make a Devil's Food Cake topped with an image of St. Michael.

I do hope we do these things. As the saying goes, "If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans."

Just a quick post

I tried to do the Simple Woman's Daybook yesterday, but by 8:30 p.m. I still hadn't finished, so I abandoned it. It was just a go-go-go kind of day, followed by a rather short night. Gemma, who usually falls asleep around 9-9:30 was up until 11. And I awoke at 4:20 to nurse her (she'd slept straight through), and then got up to read and pray.

My lovely midwife came by yesterday and weighed Gemma. She is now 8 lbs. 14 oz. at 7 weeks. The midwife was satisfied with that, but Gemma is gaining weight much more slowly than any of my other babies. They all pack it on. Dominic, by comparison, was only two ounces more than Gemma at birth, but weighed 10 lbs. at 6 weeks. The other four kids also put on considerably more weight. So I'm fretting over it a bit. She is also a little slower to do other things. She took a bit longer to hold her head up and is still a bit wobbly. She doesn't push quite as hard with her legs as the others did. Nothing radical, but enough that I notice.

Well, the gang is all up (but for Gemma) and I need to dress and start our day...I am hoping to post some of our plans for September later today.