Our All Hallows Eve/All Saints Day Celebration 2012

This year's All Saints Day party was a blast! We started the day  with some finishing touches on our costumes and making some delicious soul cakes :) We also prepared for our Saint presentation for that night (each child dressed as a particular saint and presented a short speech about their lives). The winner in each age category was judged on best costume and presentation...winners received prizes such as holy candles, statues, etc. After the presentations, the kids ate soul cakes, prayed for poor souls, and played games. 

Our Soul Cakes :)

   Soul Cake toppers were made with popsicle sticks and pipe cleaners 

                                            Saint Vincent & Saint Lucia :)

Balloon pop Game :)

                                                                  Bean Bag Toss :)

                                                                     Group Photo :)

                                        Smile :) Another wonderful pic

                         My husband's beautiful carving; Jesus & Child

Our Weekend Garden Shed Redo :)

God Bless my wonderful husband for gutting, cleaning, and painting our once ugly storage building into a cute, yellow, functional garden shed. Once painted, we hung garden tools, displayed antique blue bell mason jars, and clipped up some antique bird posters :)

Sunday Blessings to you :)

Assumption of Mary

Today we celebrate the Assumption of Mary which remembers her death and bodily assumption into heaven.In remembrance of this holy day, I found a beautiful coloring sheet from the website Bible Kids. God Bless you all..have a beautiful, holy day :)

I'm Back....Having Too Much Fun This Summer :)

Lucy out walking her puppy :)

Found a sprinkler along the way :)

Can I run through it again? :)

There she goes with her puppy :)

Daddy lifting Thomas between tree trunks :)

Family Rules Idea Via Pinterest

Source: pinterest.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

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What I've Learned from the Amish

I've always been extremly intrigued by the lives of the Amish.....maybe it's because I secretly want to be
one ....but, I really don't think that I could give up some of my modern conveniences such as a hot shower and air conditioning.

Yet, I find their ways extremely beautiful, simple, and uncomplicated....graceful and pure. I once read about an Amish father and his young son milking cows together and how Amish parents never shush away their children while working....they always work beside them learning and bonding along the way....the way that God intended us to raise them...the way we should all strive to raise them.

And then, I look at modern society...and how we plop in a movie to go and do the dishes or laundry by ourselves....doing the total opposite of what the Amish would do....what God wouldn't want us to do.The first thing I've learned from the Amish is to always work side by side with my children to teach and bond with them. Now, when I fold clothes, they sit alongside me and help....the same with dishes and yard work. If the opportunity rises, my children will be there alongside me.

The Amish have also taught me the importance of simplicity. An Amish proverb explains this lesson well: he who has no money is poor; he who has nothing but money is even poorer. The Amish work to survive and any extra that they earn, go to others less fortunate than them....they don't need extras....they strive for simplicity....because with more things, the less room there is for God. Do you really need those fancy clothes, nice vehicles, or other unnecessary things? Try to downsize....you will find life uncomplicated and you will be teaching your children a wonderful lesson.

Another lesson that stuck with me is their use of proverbs to teach their children daily morals. When you parent with proverbs, God will give you more graces to help your journey as a parent. I believe the Book of Proverbs is one of the best parenting tools.

 It's hard, but I have strengthened my own faith by striving to live simply as the Amish do. I realized, when I enforce simplicity into my busy life, only then I can become closer to God and have more peace within my family.

Choosing a Homeschool Curriculum

I'm getting there... our curriculum is almost set for my son's first year of kindergarten. Most of our materials are coming from Our Lady of Victory, living books (library picture books), and various materials that I've collected over the years. Here is the process I've followed to decide a curriculum. 

1. Decide what I wanted my children to learn in each subject. Label each page with a subject and write these     things down under each subject heading. For example, under RELIGION I wrote down The Ten Commandments and under SCIENCE I wrote down seasons.

2. Print off a calendar for each month of the school year. Write down basics for each week according to each subject. And then, print off weekly planner sheets to specifically plan for subjects each day.

3. Once your first week approaches, gather materials for first week of subjects. Make sure your weekly planner sheet is finalized and set for the week.

4. Have fun on your beautiful homeschool journey :)

Five Favorites of the Day

Moxie Wife  hosts a five favorites link-up every Wednesday....this week I thought I'd join in. So, here it is...a list of my top five favorite things of the day.....

1. The Duggars

Love this family....they are truly blessed. What an exemplary model of a family that defines what it means to have a servant heart. 

2. Egyptian Licorice Yogi Tea

A nice way to unwind from a long day....love the way this hot sweet tea slides down your throat....yum :)

3. Twistable Crayons

What? Crayons that don't break....what more could you ask for.....awesome!

4. Froggy Books

These books are great....it seems like Froggy is always forgetting something! Better yet, they always make my kids laugh each time we read them!

5. Gymboree Play and Learn Book

Great book that breaks down activities for different ages of your children.....from baby to age 5. Lots of good stuff in here!

Another Good Read!

Yes! I found another fruitful read, and it is special because it enriches the vocation of  motherhood!

The Domestic Church: Room By Room by Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle breaks down the vocation of motherhood and uses analogies to compare it to different rooms of the home. Pope John Paul II wrote the "little domestic church, like the greater church, needs to be constantly and intensely evangelized: hence it's duty regarding permanent education in the faith."

The first chapter starts in the foyer (an entrance hall of the home). This chapter explains the "beginning" of our vocation and who we must look up to as mothers (Virgin Mary). After we have established this role model in our lives, we move to the other rooms in the house: Garage: A Husband in the Picture, The Nursery: The Blessing of Little Souls, The Living Room: In the Heart of the Home, The Kitchen: A Vocation of Love, The Dining Room: Praying in the Domestic Church, The Basement: Selfless Love-The Foot of the Cross, The Porch: The Overflowing Chalice of Love, and The Patio: Evangelizing with the Feminine Genius.

I also love how each chapter uses scripture to explain her analogies. Because of this, I found her book very helpful in my vocation as a mother and will refer back to the verses she references in the book.

I hope you enjoy this one :) God Bless

Thank You God :)

              Thank you God for this beautiful Wednesday and so many other things.........

A happy baby... content on Grandmother's quilt

                                                              Silly toe pictures & my son reading!

Continued happiness from a teething 6-month-old

Great Biblical reading for the day :)

Pajama Afternoon :)

Big brother reading the Magic School Bus to baby :)

Top Ten Easter Picture Books

So, here it is...my top ten Easter picture book selections to commemorate the Lenten season...enjoy :)

1. The Very First Easter by Paul Maier     

2. The Story of the Cross: The Stations of the Cross for Children  by Mary Joslin

3. Stations of the Cross by Lawrence G. Lovasik

                    

                                               4. The First Easter by Carol Heyer

5. God Gave Us Easter by Lisa Tawn Bergren 

6. An Easter Gift for Me by Crystal Bowman

7. What is Easter? by Michelle Medlock Adams

8. The Easter Story by Patricia Pingry

9. The Parable of the Lily by Liz Curtis Higgs

10. The Week That Led to Easter by Joanne Larrison

                                                                   

Friday Picture Party: Fav Pics of the Day :)

Just hanging out...watching mamma do dishes :)

Daddy and baby in their favorite spot :)